Taipei: The Ministry of Health and Welfare is set to convene with experts by the end of March to identify the most appropriate recipients for Xocova, following the delivery of an initial batch of 5,000 courses of the new COVID-19 treatment.

According to Focus Taiwan, Tseng Shu-huai, a spokeswoman for the ministry, stated that the conditions under which patients should receive Xocova have not yet been finalized. The meeting aims to update the guidelines for publicly funded oral antiviral COVID-19 treatments based on expert advice.

In 2024, the central government placed an order for enough Xocova to treat 20,000 individuals, receiving 5,000 courses in late February. Produced by Japanese pharmaceutical firm Shionogi, Xocova is the first oral antiviral medication for COVID-19 to gain full approval in Japan, as per the company's website.

The drug, required to be taken once daily for five days, has proven effective in clinical trials for alleviating mild to moderate symptoms such as fever, sore throat, cough, fatigue, and nasal congestion.

Ministry data indicates that between February 25 and March 3, there were five COVID-19-related deaths and five severe cases. From September 1, 2024, to March 3, the numbers were 111 deaths and 507 severe cases, respectively.