India's government said it had approved Gilead Sciences Inc's antiviral drug remdesivir for emergency use in treating Covid-19 patients, Reuters reported.

“(Remdesivir) approved on June 1 under emergency use with condition for five dose administration,” the Drugs Controller General of India said in an email statement.

The drugmaker did not immediately respond to an email seeking further details. India has 198,706 cases of coronavirus and has recorded 5,598 deaths.