"This is a drug of direct antiviral action with almost absolute effectiveness," RIA Novosti quotes Bely as saying on the air of the Russia 1 TV channel.
He noted that even patients in serious condition return to life after starting the drug.
It is also reported that "Areplivir" is effective in cases when the patient is in the intensive care bed.
Earlier, the Assistant to the Minister of Health of Russia Alexei Kuznetsov said that the drug for coronavirus infection favipiravir will soon be included in the list of vital and essential medicines.