Shipment of crucial medicine to treat COVID-19 patients on its way to Florida

TAMPA, Fla. - A shipment of 30,000 vials of remdesivir should be arriving in Florida within the next two to three days, according to Governor DeSantis, who made the announcement Sunday, July 18, 2020 at a press conference in St. Augustine, Fla.

Remdesivir is said to be very successful in treating COVID-19 patients who are fighting the virus in the intensive care unit.  But with the increasing number of hospitalizations across the state, remdesivir is in high demand and hospitals have been running out of the medication.

"You also had hospitals saying this is good but what we're looking at, we're going to need more before the next shipment is scheduled to arrive," said Gov. DeSantis.

Sarasota Memorial said a previous shipment of remdesivir was only enough to help about six patients, when it had 28 still in the ICU.

This shipment should help five to 6,000 patients, according to Governor DeSantis.