South Korean authorities say the country has a sufficient supply of the antiviral medication Remdesivir to treat severely ill COVID-19 patients.

Kwon Joon-wook, deputy director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(KCDC) said in a Tuesday briefing that 61 percent, or 22, of 36 critically ill COVID-19 patients have been treated with the drug so far. 

He added that the current supply is enough for these patients, though negotiations are in progress with Gilead Sciences Korea, the drug’s importer, on the cost and volume of future imports.

It's only been five days since the first administration, so the effect on local patients has not yet been compiled. However, the experimental drug conventionally used for Ebola has been proven to quicken the recovery of coronavirus patients and lower the mortality rate.

Korean patients will not pay for the drug as the state covers the cost of treatment for highly infectious diseases under related domestic law.