U.S. tests coronavirus treatment

The University of Nebraska Medical Center on Wednesday started the first U.S. clinical trial for a drug to treat the coronavirus. The randomized process will include remdesivir, a broad-spectrum antiviral treatment.

How is the epidemic progressing? The virus causing the disease known as COVID-19 has infected more than 80,000 people globally. The U.S. military in South Korea on Wednesday confirmed one American soldier contracted the disease, while Afghanistan reported its first case in a province that borders Iran. World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed during a Monday news conference that the virus is spreading, but he said it had not reached pandemic levels: “The key message that should give all countries hope, courage, and confidence is that this virus can be contained, indeed there are many countries that have done exactly that.”

Dig deeper: Read more about remdesivir and other possible treatments and vaccines for the coronavirus in Julie Borg’s report in Beginnings.