Coronavirus Outbreak: Spike In Gujarat With 176 COVID-19 Cases In 12 Hours

Ahmedabad: Gujarat continued to be a cause of concern with 176 fresh cases of COVID-19 being reported over 12 hours till Saturday morning. 143 of these are from 1275 7 deaths in 24 hours 48 deaths. Ahmedabad continues to be the epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic raging through the western state.

According to media reports, most of these cases are being reported from hotspots with 776 in Ahmedabad alone. Testing has been ramped up particularly in containment zones and what is seen as cluster areas.

The Gujarat government is also set to carry out plasma transfusion treatment on Covid-19 patients in the state, according to a PTI report. This would be done particularly in the case of those in critical condition, to boost their immunity, according to health officials.

Plasma therapy involves the infusion of blood of a fully recovered Covid-19 patient into a critical patient to help his body generate the required antibodies to fight the virus. Antibodies are proteins produced by plasma cells that are used by the immune system to neutralize bacteria and viruses.

The Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad and the civic body-run Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Institute of Medical Sciences and Research here are said to have prepared a detailed proposal about the plasma transfusion treatment for coronavirus patients and submitted it to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for approval.

The ICMR has lent permission to the Kerala and Delhi state governments to conduct plasma therapy.