PRESIDENT Donald Trump said Thursday that the US has approved the anti-malaria drug chloroquine for use as a treatment against the new coronavirus.

“We’re going to be able to make that drug available almost immediately, and that’s where the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has been so great,” Trump told reporters.

“They’ve gone through the approval process — it’s been approved. They took it down from many, many months to immediate. So we’re going to be able to make that drug available by prescription.”

This news coming less than 24 hours scientists confirmed the anti-malaria drug has proven to be effective in the treatment of the virus, and also a sign of relief to millions of people around the world.

Meanwhile, Responding to Trump’s claim the FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn said in a statement that it is working with government and academic entities that are investigating the effectiveness of chloroquine in treating patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 to potentially reduce the duration of symptoms, as well as viral shedding, which can help prevent the spread of disease.