FIVE patients on the Isle of Wight have now signed up to help find a cure for the coronavirus.

As part of national and international trials, being run at St Mary's Hospital in Newport, research teams have been asking those suffering from the Covid-19 whether they will take part in tests.

The two being run at St Mary's include 'Recovery', a Public Health England trial, and 'Isaric' which collects clinical data from the patient as part of a co-ordinated investigation around the world to help scientists as they search for treatments and a vaccine.

'Recovery', one of the world's largest trials which started in March, will test a number of treatment drugs used for other conditions and new ones that will become available during the trial to see if there is a cure.

Now, as the number of people with lab-confirmed cases of Covid-19 surpasses 140, five patients, all from the Island, have signed up to the trials — with the number of people expected to take part increasing daily.