The French government canceled a decree allowing hospital doctors to prescribe hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for some COVID-19 patients, Reuters reported.

The decision was made after WHO announced that it was halting a large-scale trial of malaria medication in COVID-19 patients.

France in March allowed the use of hydroxychloroquine - which beyond malaria is approved to treat lupus and rheumatoid arthritis - in specific situations for COVID-19 hospital treatment.

British medical journal The Lancet has reported patients getting hydroxychloroquine had increased death rates and irregular heartbeats.