China's blood donations dry up as COVID-19 outbreak quells giving

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The coronavirus epidemic is draining China’s reserves of a life-saving commodity: blood.

Blood collection centres around the country have reported sharp drops in donations, with one even issuing a “red alert” as stocks dwindle. Doctors and other medical personnel have been donating, according to doctors and reports in state media."Blood reserves have reached their lowest levels in history, and the blood supply for clinical use is facing an unprecedented challenge," warned the blood collection centre in the city of Jining on Feb 10 on social media platform WeChat.

The shortage highlights how the epidemic has exacerbated existing problems in China's healthcare sector. Blood supplies have long been tight.With quarantine measures to prevent the coronavirus - known as COVID-19 - from spreading limiting large gatherings, donation centres are struggling to match regular levels of giving by students, military members, employees at state-owned companies and walk-in contributions.

The city of Nanjing needed daily donations from 300 people to meet demand, but only about 10 people a day had donated blood recently, the Jiangsu Province Blood Centre noted on its website on Feb 6. Most of the requests are for traditional blood donations, but at least one blood centre said it was also collecting plasma from recovered coronavirus patients for use in treating the disease.Shanghai's collection centre noted in a WeChat post this month that more transfusions could be required for coronavirus patients with severe respiratory failure that have to rely on machines to support their heart and lung function.

 

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