Recovery rate in Mysuru, Chamarajnagar, Hassan and Mandya over 70%, but only 93 donated plasma

Mysuru: The recovery rate of Covid 19 positive patients in hotspot districts like Mysuru, Mandya, Chamarajnagar and Hassan is well over 70 percent. However, plasma donation from infected patients who recovered leaves much to be desired.

In all the four districts, around 41,274 Covid patients had recovered. So far only 93 infected patients, who recovered from the most dreaded coronavirus, had donated plasma from all the four districts.

There is only one plasma donation center at Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences (MIMS) in Mandya for all the four districts. Of the 93 donations from Covid recovered patients, 60 patients who donated plasma belong to Mysuru district, 25 are from Mandya, four each from Chamarajnagar and Hassan, Dr G V Anikethana, assistant professor (department of medicine and coordinator plasma therapy at Plasma Donation Centre at MIMS in Mandya told the The Hans India.

Although the Karnataka government has been encouraging Covid-19 recovered patients to donate plasma by announcing Rs 5,000 cash incentive, plasma donations in all the four districts is far from encouraging. "Plasma donations have started only a month ago. MIMS in Mandya is the only Karnataka State Aids Prevention Society licensed centre for all the four districts," he said.

Among those who donated plasma, police personnel and Mysuru city corporation employees seem to be in the forefront by voluntarily donating plasma, what is seen as 'sanjeevini' to treat Covid patients.

A police constable from Nanjangud rural police station, three employees of Mysuru city corporation who recovered from Covid-19 had donated plasma. C Mohan, civil head constable at Nanjangud rural police station who was tested positive for Covid-19 had donated his plasma. IGP (Southern Range) Vipul Kumar lauded Mohan for donating plasma. Mohan was one among the 406 police personnel of Mysuru district who tested positive for Covid.

Around 60 employees of Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) were infected and three of them donated plasma, including Raju B, second division clerk, Syed Adnan, supervisor of 'pourakarmikas' of city ward, Madhu N, revenue inspector of zone 7 of MCC. As a matter of fact, Raju was the first to voluntarily donate plasma. "My 65-year-old mother and nine-year old daughter were also tested positive for Covid along with me. After I recovered, I gave my plasma which was used to treat two Covid patients,' Raju said.

"One of the important criteria for plasma donation is that the Covid recovered patient should have developed ample antibodies. The donor should be between 18 to 60 years, non-diabetic. Covid patients with A blood group can receive plasma from recovered patients with A and AB blood groups, those with B positive blood group can receive plasma from B and AB group, those with AB blood group can receive plasma from AB positive. Those with O blood group can receive plasma from all blood groups," he said.