ROME, March 27. /TASS/. Italy’s National Healthcare Service must provide coronavirus patients with free malaria and HIV/AIDS drugs, ANSA news agency reported Friday, citing Gazzetta Ufficiale newspaper.

The report explains that anti-malaria chloroquine-and hydroxychloroquine-based drugs, as well as anti-HIV drugs now allowed for prescription by the therapists and must be provided at the expense of the national healthcare system.

Earlier reports indicated that Italian medics began administering anti-inflammation arthritis and rheumatism drugs as experimental therapy.

The number of coronavirus patients in Italy has almost reached the number of the infected in China. Earlier, Italy reported 80,000 cases and 8,000 deaths. More than 10,000 people have recovered. Some 6% (3,600) of the remaining 62,000 patients stay in the intensive care units.