It seems this man was treated with lopinavir–ritonavir ... Unfortunately according to this recently published study, it seems inefficient against Covid19.
I found this "Some centers and even national guidelines, such as those in Italy, have recommended treatment with lopinavir-ritonavir for patients with COVID-19 infection."
Not sure what to make of this. Can this to some extent explain the huge differences in death rate between Italy and Germany?
> Can this to some extent explain the huge differences in death rate between Italy and Germany?
Italy has a couple severe disadvantages compared to Germany:
- since the financial crisis young ppl are forced to live with their parents and often enough grandparents in cramped conditions due to exploded rents - which means that symptomless infected can spread coronavirus in their families
- Italy's healthcare system has been wrecked by forced austerity after the financial crisis - it's exactly what everyone warned of back at the time.
- many young nurses and other medical staff have fled to Germany and other countries for better pay
As far as the netherlands are concerned, Lopinavir is now removed from their interim guidelines. The first line treatement is now hydroxichloroquine/chloroquine with maybe remdesivir for severe cases.
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2001282?query=fe...
It also seems some EU countries are now stopping the use of lopinavir due to this study.