A patient who has recovered from novel coronavirus infection donates plasma at Hubei General Hospital in Central China's Hubei province, on Feb 16, 2020. [Photo by Zhu Xingxin/China Daily]

3. Plasma transfusion therapy

Convalescent plasma collected from patients who have recovered from COVID-19 contains antibodies that are effective in combating the virus.

Plasma transfusion therapy has been used to treat critically ill patients infected with the novel coronavirus in China. As of March 8, more than 1,000 recovered patients have donated more than 350,000 milliliters of plasma to help save other patients.

About 200 to 300 milliliters of pure plasma are drawn from donors each time.

As plasma donated from recovered patients is in short supply and involves a complicated processing procedure and high costs, its use is mainly limited to the treatment of severe patients.

Infected patients are given Remdesivir, a drug undergoing trials, at a hospital in Wuhan, Hubei province, in February. [Photo by CHEN ZHUO/FOR CHINA DAILY]

4. Remdesivir

Remdesivir is an antiviral medication developed by US biotechnology company Gilead Sciences as a treatment for Ebola. It is not being tested as a potential COVID-19 treatment.

Cao Bin, who leads the trials in China, said studies have shown that Remdesivir is effective in arresting the growth of the coronavirus in vitro, which means the procedure was conducted in a controlled environment outside of a living organism.

Pharmacists dispense medicines according to Lung Cleansing and Detoxifying Decoction prescriptions at Anhui University of Chinese Medicine on Feb 21, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]

5. Traditional Chinese medicine

Traditional Chinese medicine has also played a big role in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. More than 90 percent of patients infected with the novel coronavirus in China have been treated with TCM.

"Three formulas and three medicines" have been proven to be effective in curbing the virus.