Another message from my niece in Rome:-

A glimmer of hope that originated from a hospital in Naples and has now been given the ok from the AFI for the rest of Italy, after being tested by other hospitals in the country.
Tocilizumab...medicine used against rheumatoid arthritis, has proven to be effective on critically ill patients with Covid-19 as it has allowed most of those to whom it was given to recover their respiratory functions in a very significant way.
The company that makes it ..Roche I think... has also given it for free to the hospitals.
Basically it is an anti-inflammatory that acts on calming the effects of the respiratory crisis.
The professor spoke about " cautious optimism"...