S. KOREA South Korea

South Korea has secured 20,000 courses (800,000 pills) of an experimental antiviral pill developed by the US drugmaker Merck & Co for Covid-19 treatment, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said on Wednesday, joining other Asian countries rushing to snap up supplies. Merck has also announced deals with Singapore and Australia, while Thailand, Taiwan and Malaysia said they are in talks to buy the drug. Trials show that molnupiravir could halve the chances of dying or being hospitalised for those most at risk of contracting severe Covid. The course of treatment involves taking four pills twice daily for five days.