Blood needed from patients who recovered

MANILA, Philippines — Those who have recovered from the coronavirus disease 2019 have been asked to donate blood for antibodies that can help cure other COVID-19 patients in critical condition.

In an interview with UNTV, Philippine General Hospital spokesman Jonas del Rosario yesterday said they wanted to try convalescent plasma therapy using blood donated by COVID-19 survivors.

Del Rosario said those who recovered from the flu virus retain the antibodies that they developed when they were sick.

Edsel Maurice Salvana, director of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at the University of the Philippines-National Institutes of Health, said the procedure could be beneficial to COVID-19 patients.

“It’s called passive immunity via convalescent sera transfusion. The United States has started using it,” Salvana told The STAR.

Initial results showed that the condition of patients improved within days of treatment.

COVID-19 survivors who wish to donate blood may contact Dr. Sandy Maganito at 0917-805-3207.

The Department of Health (DOH) recorded 52 recoveries as of yesterday afternoon.

Patients recover

Meanwhile, 10 of the 21 COVID-19 patients in Cagayan Valley have recovered.

The DOH in the Cordilleras said four of the 18 cases in the region, including a six-year-old girl in Benguet and a 61-year-old who recently traveled to Italy, also recovered.

Jocelyn Gomez, Bulacan provincial public health officer, said two patients were discharged from the Bulacan Medical Center and Sacred Heart Hospital.

Gomez said the two are still on quarantine as they need two negative results before they could be declared to have fully recovered.

The Asian Hospital and Medical Center in Muntinlupa City said 11 patients have recovered and were discharged on Wednesday.

The hospital has 34 COVID-19 patients, 13 of whom have died. – With Raymund Catindig, Ramon Efren Lazaro, Ralph Edwin Villanueva