An Arizona man has died and his wife is in critical condition after they confused a fish tank solvent used to treat aquatic parasites for a highly-touted anti-malarial drug, chloroquine.
The wife told NBC News that after seeing politicians, including President Donald Trump, on TV tout the potential benefits of the anti-malarial drug as a potential treatment for the coronavirus, she recalled seeing chloroquine as being listed on a bottle of chemicals they used to clean their koi pond.
"I saw it sitting on the back shelf and thought, ‘Hey, isn’t that the stuff they’re talking about on TV?’" the wife told the outlet. "We were afraid of getting sick."
The couple poured some of the fish tank solvent containing chloroquine phosphate, into their soda and drank it, hoping it would help prevent them from becoming infected with COVID-19.
However, within thirty minutes of ingesting the chloroquine phosphate, the couple began experiencing "immediate effects" including dizziness and vomiting that sent them to the emergency room, a statement from Banner Health said.
The husband died at the hospital and the wife is currently under critical care, the statement said.
"Given the uncertainty around COVID-19, we understand that people are trying to find new ways to prevent or treat this virus, but self-medicating is not the way to do so,” said Dr. Daniel Brooks, Banner Poison and Drug Information Center medical director. "The last thing that we want right now is to inundate our emergency departments with patients who believe they found a vague and risky solution that could potentially jeopardize their health."
The couple confused the pharmaceutical version of the drug, known as hydroxychloroquine, which early research has shown it could be a potential treatment for those with the coronavirus.
Health experts say most people who are infected with COVID-19 only require symptomatic care and self-isolation to prevent the infection of others.
“We are strongly urging the medical community to not prescribe this medication to any non-hospitalized patients,” said Dr. Brooks.
To keep up to date on the latest news about the coronavirus and to understand what you need to stay safe and healthy, check out the Coronavirus: Fact vs Fiction podcast from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta.
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