Cord blood to be used to treat COVID-19 patients, says Mamata Banerjee
Kolkata,
Aug
07:
West
Bengal
Chief
Minister
Mamata
Banerjee
on
Thursday
said
cord
blood
would
be
used
to
treat
COVID-19
patients
as
well
as
plasma
treatment
in
the
state.
The
CM
also
said
psychology
students
would
be
inducted
for
the
tele-counselling
of
COVID-19
patients
and
their
families.
"We already have a plasma bank where blood is donated by recovered coronavirus patients. We also have a cord blood bank. This cord blood bank can also be utilised for the treatment of the Covid-19 patients," said Banerjee.
Cord blood collected after a baby's umbilical cord is cut after birth and is found in the blood vessels of the placenta and the umbilical cord.
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Cord blood contains blood-forming stem cells that are used in treating certain blood and immune system disorders.
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The Trinamool supremo said, "One should not ignore if he/she develops Covid-19 symptoms but go for tests. Of the patients, 70.3 per cent have been discharged from hospital. So don't hide if you have symptoms. Covid-19 is curable".
Also, Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha said, "We are putting in place a COVID management system in the state. Every evening at 9 pm, all state government-run hospitals and private medical facilities will update the number of their critical patients, mild and asymptomatic patients. The statistics will be made available in the public domain so that anyone can know the details."
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"COVID patients can also call up the direct telemedicine number 033-23576001 for any medical help. A five-member team of medical experts has been constituted, with a senior biologist who will visit testing labs and verify if testing is legitimate or not," Sinha added.
Banerjee
urged
people
to
get
their
samples
tested
only
at
government-authorised
laboratories
and
warned
that
no
one
should
impersonate
representatives
of
Covid-19
test
centres.
Last
week,
three
men
were
arrested
in
Kolkata
for
allegedly
duping
a
57-year-old
bank
manager
with
a
fake
COVID
test
report.
Meanwhile,
the
number
of
coronavirus
affected
people
in
the
state
is
83,800
following
1,846
deaths
with
a
number
of
61
in
the
last
24
hours.