China collects plasma from recovered patients for Coronavirus treatment

As the world scrambles to find the cure of the novel Coronavirus, COVID-19, China’s state-owned drug manufacturer is collecting plasma from blood of people who have recovered from the deadly infection. China National Biotec Group Co., in a statement, said that the company has been using the plasma to treat seriously ill patients since it contains highly potent antibodies.

The manufacturer has claimed the method helped improve the condition of patients within 24 hours. According to the company, recovered patients generate antibodies that can kill and remove the virus. It said that the use of such plasma, in the absence of a vaccine and targeted drugs, is currently the most effective way to treat the infection.

Several unknowns

Earlier, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General, had admitted that there are several things they still don’t know about Coronavirus, including its reservoirs, transmission dynamics and period of infectiousness among others. 

Ghebreyesus said that they don’t have a vaccine to prevent infections and no proven therapeutics to treat them. He said that they need answers to all those questions in order to contain the spread and treat the patients. "Publications, patents, and profits are not what matters most now. What matters most is stopping the Coronavirus outbreak, and saving lives,” international media reported him saying.

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China has reported a drop in new cases of the novel Coronavirus, COVID-19, for the third consecutive day after witnessing a spike due to change in methodology. According to China’s National Health Commission, 2,009 new cases with 142 more deaths worldwide have been reported because of the deadly Coronavirus, which is still a global health emergency.

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The death toll due to Coronavirus has spiked to nearly 1,665 and around 68,000 confirmed cases have been detected till now. While most of the cases are from Hubei province of China and the city of Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak, other countries, including Japan and the Philippines, have also now reported deaths related to COVID-19.

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Read: Coronavirus Outbreak: WHO Chief Calls It 'a Very Grave Threat' To The World

(With inputs from agencies)