Delhi hospitals to use plasma therapy on trial basis to treat critical COVID-19 patients

 Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Anil Baijal said on Wednesday that plasma technique will be used for treatment on a trial basis to save the life of critical COVID-19 patients.

Baijal advised the medical fraternity to strictly adhere to SOPs/guidelines & protocols issued by the Ministry of Health and Welfare while dealing with coronavirus patients.

The decision was taken in a meeting regarding the review of COVID-19 patient management in Delhi with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and other health experts of COVID-19 hospitals.

The plasma technique will involve injecting the blood products from COVID-19 recovered patients and then injecting it on those people who are currently suffering. 

In China, the epicenter of the outbreak, anecdotal evidence showed that passive antibody therapy helps patients combat COVID-19 until the patient's body can develop its own antibodies.

In Delhi, the total number of coronavirus cases stands at 1561.  

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare stated on Thursday that there is no community transmission of India so far, and declared 170 districts as COVID-19 hotspots.

"No community transmission in India so far, there have been some local outbreaks," the health ministry informed.

 It also informed that the country will be classified into 3 categories - hotspot districts, non-hotspot districts but where cases are being reported and green zone districts in the period of the lockdown.

"The districts of the country will be classified into 3 categories - hotspot districts, non-hotspot districts but where cases are being reported and green zone districts," Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary Ministry of Health stated.