By Bizodisha Bureau, July 02, 2020: The rising toll of the COVID pandemic in Odisha has led to a greater need for recuperative measures, treatments, and cures for the ailing public. One such measure which has grabbed the public imagination is plasma therapy.

Odisha, which is witnessing a steep spike in Covid-19 patients on Thursday decided to launch plasma therapy in the state soon in four of its hospitals for treatment. The positive cases in the state surged past 7,500 and the number of deaths due to Covid-19 has risen to 27 in the district.

Health and family welfare minister Naba Kishore Das who chaired a high-level meeting said plasma therapy will be started in the SCB Medical College and Hospital, Ashwini Hospital in Cuttack, SUM Hospital and KIIMS Hospital in Bhubaneswar.

A technical committee will shortly be formed to outline the treatment plan for plasma therapy and prepare a blueprint for its successful introduction in the state, according to Das.

The committee will also create awareness among people regarding plasma therapy and submit a detailed report to the government. Convalescent plasma therapy involves the use of antibodies from the blood of patients who have recovered from Covid-19 to treat other infected people.

Meanwhile, Delhi on Thursday became the first state to launch a plasma bank, akin to a blood bank, to store blood plasma donated by recovered COVID-19 patients even as the country still relies on imports for plasma products.

Das said Odisha has already received its first batch of Remdesivir drug for use in case of critically ill Covid-19 patients. Besides, Fabiflu has also reached the state to be used for patients with mild to moderate symptoms.

In the meantime, three more districts – Kendrapara, Bolangir and Dhenkanal – on Thursday announced weekend shutdowns for the month of July in addition to 10 districts as 229 new coronavirus cases were identified today. Among the new cases are 17 people including four members of a deputy superintendent of police-rank officer in Cuttack district. The DSP had tested positive for coronavirus on Monday.

In the Covid-19 epicenter of Ganjam district, a worried administration on Thursday prohibited all non-essential vehicular movement in the region till July 31 as a precautionary measure to stop the surge of cases. Ganjam collector Vijay Amrita Kulange took to Twitter and urged people of the district not to travel in vehicles without an emergency situation. He, however, said agricultural activities, essential goods transportation and movement of health services would be allowed.

The state government announced that all its offices in Lok Seva Bhawan, Krishni Bhawan, Rajiv Bhawan and Kharavela Bhawan here would be out of bounds for people till July 31. In Jajpur district, another Covid-19 hotspot, the administration has made all government offices out of bounds for people till the midnight of July 8.