DeSantis under fire over photo of Covid sufferer lying on treatment centre floor

Florida governor also under fire for controversial executive order prohibiting school districts from enforcing mask mandates for students

Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is facing a backlash after a photo of a Covid-19 patient curled up on a healthcare centre's floor while awaiting treatment went viral.

According to Kailey Tracy of First Coast News, the city of Jacksonville confirmed that the photo was real and was taken at a monoclonal treatment centre at the downtown library on Wednesday.

A woman suffering from Covid-19 symptoms lays on the floor of a monoclonal treatment facility in Jacksonville, Florida. The photo sparked outrage when it went viral on social media. (Reddit screengrab)

According to Ms Tracy, a woman who claimed her husband took the photo posted it to Reddit.

"Woman who posted picture to Reddit says her husband took it, saw people crying in pain. COJ says they were waiting for treatment, providing triple # of wheelchairs now," she reported.

The city issued a statement saying the centre where the photo was taken was not intended for people experiencing advanced covid symptoms.

"This treatment is meant to keep people OUT of the hospital and is designed for those early on in their COVID-19 diagnosis or for those who believe they have been exposed to COVID. Individuals with severe symptoms should contact a medical professional for guidance on the proper treatment for their situation," the city said.

Florida recently opened several free monoclonal antibody centres in order to treat Covid-19 patients in an effort to ease overburdened hospitals in the state.

The centres are intended to provide early treatment in order to keep patients from developing worse symptoms that require hospitalisation.

More than half of the state's ICU capacity is filled with coronavirus patients as of Tuesday. That number dwarfs the national average of 27 per cent, according to data from the Department of Health and Human Services.

Texas has set up similar sites. That state's Republican Governor Greg Abbott is receiving monoclonal antibody treatment after being diagnosed with Covid-19.

So far, more than 10,000 students in Florida have been quarantined or isolated during the first week of the school year.

Mr DeSantis has also been under fire for a controversial executive order prohibiting school districts from enforcing mask mandates for students.

That executive order has been challenged by a number of organisations and school districts. They allege Mr DeSantis has engaged in unconstitutional executive overreach with his order. The governor has threatened to withhold the salaries of school administrators and funding to any schools that refuse to comply with the order.

On Twitter, critics have been lashing out at Mr DeSantis, who has long been criticised for downplaying the threat of the virus and fighting against mitigation policies like mask mandates for businesses and schools.