Ready for plasma therapy on COVID-19 patients, sought ICMR nod: Rajasthan health minister

Rajasthan is prepared to conduct plasma therapy on severely-ill COVID-19 patients and has written to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) seeking permission to carry out the treatment, state health minister Raghu Sharma said on Saturday.

Under convalescent plasma therapy technique, plasma from people who have recovered from COVID-19 is transfused to patients who are in severe condition.

Sharma said the number of coronavirus cases reported in the state has risen to 2,061 on Saturday afternoon and asserted that Rajasthan has so far done the highest 79,000 tests in the country.

The COVID-19 death rate in the country is 3.18 per cent while the state average is 1.43 per cent. The state government's efforts have brought the death rate under control, the minister said.

"A team of doctors is fully prepared for convalescent plasma therapy. The state government has written to the ICMR for permission. Treatment through plasma therapy can be started as soon as the permission is received," Sharma said, adding the therapy can be used to treat severe or stage-two patients.