In the United States, the local Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a health alert as the number of cases of anti-parasitic drugs being known as a treatment for COVID-19 and being prescribed increased.
The CDC issued a health alert on the 26th to warn doctors and the general public about a surge in prescriptions for the anthelmintic drug ivermectin, CNN reported.
The CDC also warned that reports of serious illness after taking ivermectin are increasing.
Ivermectin is a drug prescribed to humans to eradicate parasites such as lice, roundworms, and pinworms, and is also used by veterinarians as an anthelmintic on animals such as cattle and horses.
However, conservative media such as Fox News have mentioned this drug as a treatment for COVID-19 in recent months.