Plasma therapy at 3 Odisha COVID hospitals from today

Bhubaneswar: Plasma therapy to treat critically ill COVID-19 patients will commence at three COVID hospitals in Odisha today.

The treatment will start at SUM Hospital and KIMS in Bhubaneswar and Ashwini Hospital in Cuttack. SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack has been designated as the nodal centre of the plasma therapy.

The decision was taken at a review meeting presided by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik yesterday.

Plasma therapy has been helpful in reducing the mortality rate in other states, informed Additional Chief Secretary, Health Department, Pradipta Mohapatra. The fatality rate in Odisha, however, is below one per cent and presently stands at 0.50 per cent, Mohapatra said.