Healthcare professionals should closely monitor COVID-19 patients who are receiving malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, given the serious side effects associated with the medicine, the European health regulator said on Friday,  Reuters reports.

Several EU countries have paused trials of the drug in patients infected by the new coronavirus over safety concerns, the European Medicines Agency said, adding the drug's benefits have not been established for the illness. 

FDA also warned earlier that malaria drugs hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine can cause serious heart rhythm problems in COVID-19 patients.

The World Health Organization also suspended testing the drug in COVID-19 patients last week.