U.S. use of Pfizer's COVID antiviral Paxlovid up 315% -HHS

WASHINGTON, May 17 (Reuters) - Use of Pfizer Inc's (PFE) COVID-19 oral antiviral treatment Paxlovid has jumped 315% over the past four weeks, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said on Tuesday.

Nearly 115,000 courses of the pills were dispensed during the first week of May, a senior health official said. A total of 668,954 courses out of the more than 2 million ordered by pharmacies were administered overall.

Pharmacies ordered almost 1.8 million courses of Merck & Co's (MRK) rival oral antiviral, molnupiravir, and 230,257 have been administered so far, the official told reporters on a call.

(Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein Editing by Bill Berkrot)