Flu, which also goes by the name influenza,
is quite a common disease these days, and it affects millions of people across
the globe each year. According to the World Health Organization, the disease
affects 5 million people severely and results in approximately 650,000 deaths
each year. The symptoms of seasonal influenza include a sudden onset of fever,
cough, muscle & joint pain, a runny nose, headache, severe malaise, and
sore throat. While most people recover from these symptoms in about a week
without needing any medical intervention, influenza can cause severe illness or
death, particularly in people with other risk factors.
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Seasonal influenza viruses are of four types,
namely types A, B, C, and D, among which, influenza A and B viruses circulate
and are responsible for the seasonal epidemics of the disease. Those suffering
from uncomplicated flu infections are mostly provided palliative treatment
(symptomatic relief); however, people who suffer from severe infections are
treated using antivirals. Some of the major companies in the flu treatment market are Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Gilead Sciences, Pfizer Inc.,
GlaxoSmithKline PLC, and Bristol-Myers Squibb LLC. The demand for different flu
treatment medicines has further been increasing on account of the novel
coronavirus.
A number of countries, including Japan, the
U.S., and China, are working of developing drugs for treating coronavirus; however,
these will need to go through animal testing, followed by human trials in various
phases, before getting the regulatory approval for mass production. In this
scenario, the available antivirals are being clinically tested on patients, who
are affected by COVID-19. For example, Avigan, the Japanese flu drug containing
favipiravir, was reportedly given to about 340 people in China, who had tested
positive for coronavirus. The patients are claimed to have recovered without
displaying any side-effects after the administration. On similar lines, patients
in Shenzhen tested negative for the virus after just four days of being given
favipiravir, and those who weren’t given the same treatment tested negative
after 11 days.
