FORT PIERCE, Fla. — A Treasure Coast doctor said the drug remdesivir helped save the life of a 19-year-old man who was battling the coronavirus.
Last month, 19-year-old Jose Zacapa recovered after a dangerous bout with the virus.
While hospitalized at Lawnwood Regional Medical Center in Fort Pierce, Zacapa took part in a clinical study involving remdesivir.
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Early research has shown the drug helps shorten the recovery time of some COVID-19 patients.
According to one doctor, that's exactly what happened in Zacapa’s case.
"After approximately five days, we started to see great improvement in his pulmonary function. Unfortunately, I believe, if Jose did not receive remdesivir, he would have died," said Dr. Nicholas Punch.
Zacapa spent nearly three weeks in the intensive care unit after suffering complications from COVID-19. At one point, he was placed on a ventilator.
Experts caution that remdesivir is not a cure for COVID-19, and that more research still needs to be done on the anti-viral drug.