The Kenyan government has approved the use of one of the oldest anti-malarial drugs to treat the coronavirus, according to Citizen TV.

But it will only be given to critical patients, Health Director General Patrick Amoth is quoted as saying.

Dr. Amoth said at the moment there were no critical cases to warrant such an intervention. Most cases are mild and the authorities are treating the symptoms for now, he is quoted as saying.

The country's Pharmacy and Poisons Board has banned the sale of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine over the counter at pharmacies.

This was after what the board described as a rush to stock up the drugs after the US President Donald Trump hyped the medicine as treatment for coronavirus.

Medical experts say chloroquine requires further clinical study and might not be the cure of Covid-19.