South Africa's drug regulator has announced the approval of Merck lab's covid-19 pill for high-risk adults.

In an announcement on Thursday, the Medicines Regulatory Authority of South Africa said it had "conditionally authorized the importation of Molnupiravir," an oral antiviral treatment, for an initial period of six months.

"The authorization of Molnupiravir (...) offers an additional treatment in the fight against covid-19," said the head of the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA), Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela, quoted by Lusa.

With more than 3.6 million infections and 96,000 deaths recorded since the pandemic began, South Africa is the worst affected country on the continent.

Taken within five days of the onset of symptoms, the drug developed by Merck (Merck Sharp & Dohme outside the United States and Canada) limits the virus' ability to replicate, thus stopping the disease.

Thus, the drug reduces the risk of hospitalization and death in 30% in the susceptible population, according to clinical trials conducted in 1,400 participants before the emergence of the Omicron variant.

However, the treatment remains "active" against the Omicron variant, the U.S. company said in late January, based on the results of six laboratory studies.

Merck's pill was approved in mid-December in the United States and late January in the European Union (EU).

Merck has signed a voluntary licensing agreement that will allow generic manufacturers to produce its drug to facilitate global access at an affordable price.

Signed in January, the agreement will allow 105 low- and middle-income countries access to the drug.