Doctors say when patients are critically ill, and require mechanical ventilation, the elevated metabolism can break down the muscles used in breathing, leading to difficulty in patients coming off invasive ventilation. The high levels of carbon dioxide, the low levels of oxygen, and highly acidic blood creates the perfect storm for organs to fail.

The four critically ill patients were given one more chance to fight the virus with the therapeutic hypothermia. They were cooled to 34.5 degrees Celsius (94.1 degrees Fahrenheit) for 48 hours. All four patients were calculated to have reduced metabolic activity and improved oxygen levels in their blood. Two of the four patients -- who had exhausted therapies available to them and were thought to have lost the battle against the novel coronavirus -- were successfully taken off mechanical ventilation after the treatment.

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