FACTBOX-Countries where remdesivir is approved or supported for treating COVID-19

(Adds Australia approval) July 10 (Reuters) - Gilead Sciences Inc's remdesivir is at the forefront in the fight against the novel coronavirus as one of the first drugs to have shown to be effective in countering COVID-19 in human trials. The following is a list of countries or regions that have approved, recommended or taken action in support of the antiviral drug for patients with the illness (in chronological order): COUNTRY/REGION REGULATORY ACTION DATE OF ACTION FURTHER READ United States FDA grants authorization for emergency use May-01 Japan Japan approved remdesivir for COVID-19 - the May-07 country's first officially authorized drug to tackle the disease. United Kingdom Agrees to provide remdesivir to certain May-26 COVID-19 patients South Korea Approves remdesivir import; adds remdesivir May-29; Jun-26 , to coronavirus treatment guidelines Taiwan Approves remdesivir in patients with severe May-30 COVID-19, says efficacy and safety of remdesivir have been supported by preliminary evidence India Approves emergency use of remdesivir Jun-01 Singapore Approves remdesivir for severely ill Jun-10 COVID-19 patients Israel Accepts Gilead's donation of remdesivir, to Jun-16 treat moderately and critically ill patients European Union Gives conditional approval for the use of Jul-03 , remdesivir in severe COVID-19 patients, making it the region's first therapy to be authorized to treat the virus. Australia Grants provisional approval to use Jul-10 remdesivir as a treatment option for adults and adolescent patients with severe COVID-19 symptoms and have been hospitalised. (Reporting by Vishwadha Chander, Dania Nadeem and Pushkala Aripaka; Editing by Lewis Krauskopf, Arun Koyyur and Rashmi Aich)