The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), which maintains a list of drugs in shortage independent of the US Food and Drug Administration's list, added the generic malaria drug hydroxychloroquine to its list on Thursday.

Four out of eight manufacturers of the drug are currently in shortage, it said on Thursday.

The new coronavirus, which causes the highly contagious COVID-19 respiratory illness, emerged in December in Wuhan, China and has spread throughout the world.

There are no vaccines or treatments approved for the disease but researchers are studying existing treatments and working on experimental ones.

At the moment, most patients can only receive supportive care.

Erin Fox, senior director of drug information at University of Utah Health, who maintains ASHP's shortages list, said pharmacists are unable to get the drug or fill prescriptions in full.

Fox said that University of Utah's 12 retail pharmacies are not filling prescriptions for prophylactic use, and are preserving their stocks for inpatient needs.

The FDA could not be reached for comment but hydroxychloroquine is not on its drugs in shortage list.

Trump called on US health regulators to expedite potential therapies aimed at treating COVID-19, including hydroxychloroquine.

"We're going to be able to make that drug available almost immediately," Trump said of the malaria drug at a White House briefing.

Fox and the FDA have been watching for drug shortages that could be due to supply chain issues with manufacturing in China and India.

But surging demand in recent weeks is the issue with the malaria drug, which can also treat rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, according to online pharmacy, Honeybee Health.

Its co-chief executive, Jessica Nouhavandi, sent a letter to prescribers earlier this week, urging them to be aware of potential hoarding of the drug that could deprives those who really need it.

On Thursday, Nouhavandi said demand was its highest yet after Trump's comments.

Australian Associated Press