The World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom on Wednesday called for further research to develop more treatment options for COVID-19.

Tedros made the call in his remarks at the ad hoc consultation on COVID-19 therapeutics.

"For now, we have oxygen and dexamethasone, which are saving lives, and WHO is now reviewing the emerging evidence on other drugs like tociluzumab," said the WHO chief.

"But we need more treatment options for all phases of the diseases, and we need them fast.

"There is an urgent need for further research to quickly identify the most promising therapeutic agents and to better understand the right time to use them."

Tedros noted that the world's attention at the moment had focused on vaccines, which are also an important tool in the fight to stop the virus, but that vaccines are no benefit to those who are already sick with COVID-19 and are in hospital with severe disease.

Currently, the number of global COVID-19 infections have surpassed the 114.91 million mark, with a death toll exceeding 2.55 million.