A malaria drug widely touted as a potential cure for Covid-19 showed no benefit against the disease over standard care — and was in fact associated with more deaths, the biggest study of its kind has revealed.

Researchers looked at the medical records of 368 veterans hospitalised in US who either died or were discharged by April 11.

Death rates for patients on hydroxychloroquine were 28 per cent, compared to 22pc when it was taken with the anti-biotic azithromycin — a combination favoured by French scientist Didier Raoult, whose study on the subject in March triggered a surge of global interest in the drug.

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