North Texas Coronavirus Patient Goes Home From Hospital 4 Days After Remdesivir Treatment
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - It was last month when 39-year-old Marcus Hawkins started feeling sick.
What started with sinus issues progressively got worse.
"The morning I woke up on the 16th I went to the restroom, came back and sat on the side of the bed and was breathing funny," he told CBS 11. "I knew something wasn't right."
He was admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with COVID-19.
"Going to the restroom I'd take two steps and I'm gasping for air," he described.
Dr. Lauren Hoffman with Methodist Dallas Medical Center treated Hawkins.
"He was very, very sick," Dr. Hoffman told us. "Had he worsened any further we would have had to send him to the ICU and intubate." That's why when the hospital got involved with clinical trials for Remdesivir, she knew Hawkins would be a prime candidate. Within a day of treatment, the doctor noticed a turnaround.
"He looked so much better, his spirit improved, his oxygen levels also improved."
Hawkins is one of about 33 patients and counting who've received the anti-viral. Dr. Parvez Mantry,
The Executive Medical Director of Research for Methodist Health System oversees the trials.
"We have seen a remarkable degree of improvement in the majority of patients using Remdesivir," Dr. Mantry said.
The drug is given through and IV and right now is only available to those in the hospital.
"We were able to treat a lot of them successfully, and fortunately a lot of them have been discharged home back to their families," said Dr. Mantry.
Hawkins is among that group. Four days after being given the anti-viral, he was able to go home. He credits his faith and Dr. Hoffman.
"I was trying to get to her level of spirit because her spirit was high every morning, or every evening she came in."
This is just one of several trials Methodist Dallas is doing.
They're also using convalescent plasma therapy at all four Methodist Health System hospitals.
For more information, click here.
