News | Jul 25, 2020 01:00 AM EDT

COVID-19 Medicine: Mel Gibson Reveals Drug That Helped Him Survive Coronavirus

By Staff Reporter

While the whole world is still battling with the coronavirus global pandemic, more and more celebrities add to the growing list of infected patients. The list of those who tested positive for COVID-19 now includes veteran actor Mel Gibson.

According to People, the 64-year-old Hollywood A-lister confirmed through a represntative that he fell ill back in April after testing positive for the novel virus.

The rep said Gibson was admitted to a Los Angeles, California hospital, and after a week of hospitalization and medication, the "Braveheart" actor survived. He is now free of COVID-19 and has made a full recovery.

"He tested positive in April and spent a week in the hospital," the spokesperson said.

Gibson's camp also revealed the type of medication that helped him bounce back from COVID-19.

"He was treated with the drug Remdesivir, while in the hospital, and has tested negative numerous times since then as well as positive for the antibodies," the rep added.

Based on the study sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Remdesivir reduced the recovery period of coronavirus patients from 15 days down to 11 days in the hospital.

It is still unknown why the controversial actor kept his health scare in private instead of using his platform to educate other people about the weight of the health crisis the world is experiencing.

Before his COVID-19 battle, Gibson was spotted in a grocery store in California last March. He was seen with his girlfriend, Rosalind Ross, with whom he shares his ninth child,Lars Gerard.

"The Passion of the Christ" director is the latest addition to the list of high-profile celebrities diagnosed with coronavirus, including Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, George Stephanopoulos, Prince Charles of Britain and more.

Symptoms Of COVID-19

The symptoms experienced by coronavirus patients vary from one person to another. Some feel mild to moderate symptoms of fever, cough and body pains, while others experience severy respiratory problems.

The symptoms are said to be worse for older adults and those with a pre-existing health condition, which leads to more severe illness and fatality.

As per the Hollywood couple Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, their early symptoms of COVID-19 include colds, fatigue, slight fever and extreme body pain.

Meanwhile, Jazmin Grimaldi, daughter of Prince Albert of Monaco, said she experienced having itchy throat before the fatigue and chills set in.

Britain's Prince Charles also manifested mild symptoms, but he said that the most prominent one is the loss of sense of taste and smell -- which, until now, he has not fully recovered even though he is already coronavirus-free for four months.

According to WebMD, respiratory viruses like COVID-19 or any typical cold and flu trigger anosmia that sometimes leave patients with permanent olfactory dysfunction.

Some asymptomatic patients are not feeling any symptoms at all but still tested positive for coronavirus.

As of writing, the United States has more tha 4 million cases of COVID-19 positive patients, with 140,000 dying since the pandemic started earlier this year.