FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Florida reported more than 10,000 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 90 additional deaths.
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced 30,000 vials of remdesivir were being shipped to the state after hospitals complained of shortages. He says he worked with Vice President Mike Pence last week to expedite the shipments.
DeSantis says the vials will be shipped directly to hospitals in the next 48 to 72 hours and should treat about 5,000 patients. He made the announcement at a St. Augustine hospital during a discussion with doctors.
The state reports Florida hospitals are treating more than 9,000 patients for coronavirus. Overall, there have been nearly 338,000 confirmed cases and 5,002 deaths.
Doctor who survived COVID-19 bewildered by public disregard
Medical professionals in Alabama are witnessing two starkly different realities: Inside the hospitals, they attend to patients fighting for their lives in overcrowded intensive care units.
Outside the medical centers' doors, they see a society that appears to be blithely ignoring the safety precautions that experts have recommended to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
Dr. Michael Saag is an infectious diseases expert who treats patients at a hospital run by the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
He says he is greatly disheartened by the lax attitude many have shown.
And he worries about Alabama’s future at a time when the virus is posing more of a threat than ever.
COVID-19 Precautions
Most patients with COVID-19 have mild to moderate symptoms. However, in a small proportion of patients, COVID-19 can lead to more severe illness, including death, particularly among those who are older or those who have chronic medical conditions.
COVID-19 spreads primarily through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
Symptoms include fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. Symptoms appear within 14 days of being exposed to an infectious person.
Virginia health officials urged the following precautions:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer only if soap and water are not available.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Avoid contact with sick people.
- Avoid non-essential travel.