SAN ANTONIO — Seven additional cases of the antiviral drug Remdesivir will be distributed to three San Antonio-area hospitals, according to a release from the office of Governor Greg Abbott.
The cases have been provided to the Texas Department of State Health Services through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In addition to the seven cases being distributed in San Antonio, 118 other cases will be distributed across the state.
These 125 cases will be used to treat approximately 500 patients. This is the fourth round of distribution and will bring the total number of cases distributed to Texas hospitals to 609.
Remdesivir, which has shown promise in early trials in speeding up the recovery time among hospitalized COVID-19 patients, is being distributed by according to COVID-19 hospitalizations data to better target areas of need.
Military and VA hospitals will receive the drug directly and are excluded from the distribution methodology.
Medical staff at each hospital will determine how the drug will be used. Through the Food and Drug Administration’s Emergency Use Authorization, the drug is authorized to be used for the treatment of suspected or confirmed COVID-19 in adults and children hospitalized with severe disease.
In response to this latest round of distribution, Governor Abbott said, "It is imperative that we continue to equip Texas medical providers with the supplies they need to respond to COVID-19, and I am grateful to our partners at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for their continued assistance in providing cases of Remedisivir."
