20 cured coronavirus patients donate plasma to critically ill in China

As many as 20 people who recovered from novel coronavirus in China have donated their plasma to the critically ill patients in the city of Wuhan as several patients showed improved clinical symptoms after receiving plasma treatment, province's COVID-19 scientific research team has said.

Xinhua news agency reported that the donors are doctors and nurses who have now recovered from the disease for 10 days at the Jiangxia District's No. 1 people's hospital and traditional Chinese medicine hospital.

An expert with Jiangxia District's No. 1 people's hospital has said that twelve patients who were in severe condition began to show improved clinical symptoms about 12 to 24 hours after receiving plasma treatment.

"We are observing the therapeutic results and improving our treatment plans," the expert said

The new strain of coronavirus first originated in Wuhan in December, last year, and has since then killed 1600 people in that country alone, while cases have been registered in several countries across the world, including India.

Earlier, Zhang Dingyu, head of Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, had called upon cured coronavirus patients to donate plasma after initial results "indicated the effectiveness of convalescent plasma-derived therapeutic products in curing infected patients in severe and critical conditions," the news agency said in its report.

Some recovered patients regard the donation as a way to pay back to society after they received timely and effective treatment.

"Before being discharged from the hospital, I learned from the nurses that I can donate plasma, which I think is very helpful," said a recovered patient who is willing to become a donor.