Thirty people turn up to donate plasma in Delhi

Three days after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appealed to the recovered Covid-19 patients to donate their plasma, about 30 people turned up for donation on Monday.

According to the Delhi Health Department, the recovered patients came out to help other patients recover from the disease and contain the fatalities caused by the dreaded virus.

"Plasma therapy has shown positive response on critical Covid-19 patients. After the Chief Minister urged the recovered patients to donate plasma, about 30 people came out to donate their plasma on Monday," a health official told IANS.

The official said that this can speed up the recoveries of patients in the city as plasma therapy is inexpensive as compared to the other medical treatments and medicines that are either unaffordable or are limited.

So far, the government has tried the therapy on six patients and all have shown positive signs.

Last Friday, Kejriwal had said that once a person recovers from coronavirus, antibodies are formed in his/her blood, which is then transferred into a recovering person's body.

He said the city government had got the permission of limited trials from the Central government.

"After 2-3 more trials, we will apply for permission for plasma therapy to be given to serious Covid-19 patients across Delhi," Kejriwal said.

Kejriwal appealed to the recovered patients to donate their plasma to help other patients recover and contain the fatalities caused by the deadly virus.

"It is the responsibility of the people who have recovered to come forward and help those who are still recovering. Your plasma will be transferred only into those patients who are very critical. You will be saving the lives of people," he had said.

In Delhi, while 877 people have recovered from the infection so far, at least 2,177 cases are active as of Monday night.-IANS