Nellore: Hundreds of critical COVID patients were seen thronging the Krishnapatnam village in Andhra Pradesh’s Nellore district on Friday to get a ‘miracle’ Covid-19 drug. Even though there is no scientific evidence as yet to confirm that the drug is effective against the coronavirus. As per reports, an elderly practitioner B Anandaiah who also stays in the same village claims that his drug is an effective cure for Covid-19.

However, the man does not have any professional training and said he made the drug out of ‘experience’. Interestingly, the man is now distributing the drug for free in his village. Even though a number of locals claimed that the drug was effective, a preliminary test done by Ayurvedic Lab at Vijayawada found the drug was generic in nature and has no adverse side effects.

The self-proclaimed ayurvedic practitioner distributed his herbal concoctions and a popular eye drop to COVID patients. Some of the district officials said his medicines promised to boost immunity against the coronavirus, there were others who claimed the treatment worked even among those suffering from breathlessness.

The health experts in the district, however, pointed out the large gathering amid lockdown and hinted at the possibility of a further spread of Covid due to such crowding. The concern among people is growing as Andhra Pradesh is one of the states worst hit by Covid-19 and a lockdown is in force till the end of May.

The health department officials of the state said samples of the ayurvedic medicines will be tested by a team of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the country’s premier scientific body. An ICMR team is likely to fly down to Nellore on Saturday.