Efficacy and Safety of Nitazoxanide 600 mg BID Versus Placebo for the Treatment of Hospitalized Patients With COVID-19

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Informed consent from patient or legal representative. 2. Male or female, aged ≥ 18 years; 3. Laboratory confirmation of 2019-nCoV infection by reverse-transcription polymerase 4. chain reaction (RT-PCR) from any diagnostic sampling source; 5. Hospitalized for up to 48h with signs of respiratory failure with or without non-invasive ventilation and i. Oxygen saturation \<98%; 7\. Negative result for pregnancy test (if applicable). Exclusion Criteria: 1. Participating in another RCT in the past 12 months; 2. Known allergy to nitazoxanide 3. Severely reduced LV function; 4. Severely reduced renal function; 5. Pregnancy or breast feeding; 6. Diagnosis of any other active infection (viral, bacterial, fungal or caused by another pathogen, except the one studied in the trial); 7. History of HIV 1 and/or 2 (Anti-HIV-1,2) and/or HTLV I and II positive; 8. Ongoing antineoplastic treatment with chemotherapy or radiation therapy; 9. Diagnose of severe autoimmune diseases in immunosuppression; 10. Transplanted patients; 11. Any other clinical condition which, in the opinion of the principal investigator, would not allow safe completion of the protocol and safe administration of the investigational products