“There has already been one death reported overseas in someone...

“There has already been one death reported overseas in someone who attempted to self-prescribe medicines. It's dangerous to do this.”

A man in his 60s died and his wife remains unwell after the couple, from the US state of Arizona, ingested chloroquine phosphate, an ingredient used in fish tank cleaners.

Donald Trump last week falsely claimed anti-malaria medication, chloroquine, had been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as treatment for COVID-19.

It is unclear if the pair in the US took the medication specifically to fend off coronavirus but health authorities in the country believe that to be the case, following the president’s tweets.