DRUG HOPE Hancock hails remdesivir as ‘biggest step forward’ since crisis began as it becomes UK’s first approved coronavirus drug

MATT Hancock has hailed the first approved drug for tackling Covid-19 as the "biggest step forward" in treating coronavirus since the crisis began.

The Health Secretary said that antiviral drug remdesivir originally developed to tackle Ebola was given the green light for the NHS today.

 It comes after trials showed that it helped patients hospitalized with coronavirus recover almost a third faster.

And early data suggests it can slash the risk of dying by 31 percent, but these findings were inconclusive.

Speaking at the daily Downing Street press briefing, Mr Hancock said: "I can announce that we're beginning a new trial for selected NHS patients, of an antiviral drug called remdesivir.

"They've already been some promising early results on coronavirus patients, with early data suggesting you can shorten recovery time by around four days.

"As you can understand, we'll be prioritising the use of this treatment where it will provide the greatest benefit.

"This is probably the biggest step forward in the treatment of coronavirus since the crisis began."