Coronavirus: Recovered patient donates blood for plasma therapy study

This picture has been used for representational purposes

A man, who recovered from Coronavirus three weeks ago has become the first man in Maharashtra to donate his blood for a study of using convalescent plasma to treat the pandemic. The samples of the patients' blood were taken in BYL Nair Hospital and the therapy will be carried out at Kasturba Hospital, Hindustan Times reported.

Within three weeks of recovery, the patient developed the antibodies that have the potential to neutralise the virus. The dean of BYL Nair Hospital, Dr Ramesh Bharmal was quoted as saying by the newspaper that the samples were taken on Monday and it will be sent to Kasturba Hospital to decide on the transfusion. "It is an experiment. Other important factors are the amount of antibodies produced in the body of a cured patient and the extent of extraction possible," he said.

The therapy involves transfusing plasma, a component in the blood, from a patient who has recovered from the infection to use as a reinforcement for their immune system. Kerala was the first state in the country to get approval from the ICMR to start the convalescent plasma therapy.

The newspaper also reported that five more patients who have recovered from the virus have agreed to donate their blood for the study.

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