TWENTY patients from Barnsley Hospital have been involved with a study which has seen a major breakthrough in the fight against the coronavirus.

The drug, Dexamethasone, is part of the world’s biggest trial testing existing treatments to see if they also work for coronavirus.

It is a cheap and widely available drug that could help save the lives of patients that are seriously ill with the virus - it cut the risk of death for patients on ventilators by a third, and for those on oxygen by a fifth.

Dr Ken Inweregbu, who led the local study, said: “We are delighted to have been involved in the study here at Barnsley Hospital.

“It is fantastic to see such positive results to the Dexamethasone arm which will help us treat our patients who suffer with severe respiratory complication of Covid-19.”