Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 18 (IANS): The first plasma bank in Kerala at the Manjeri Medical College Hospital in the Malappuram district was doing yeomen service to serious Covid-19 patients, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, here on Saturday.

Remarking that the plasma therapy has proved to be a success, Vijayan said, "22 people, discharged from hospitals, have donated plasma. 200 people are waiting to do the same. Plasma from Manjeri was also administered to a serious patient in Alappuzha. It proved a success."

Kerala is the first state in the country to have given nod to the plasma therapy.

As part of donation, a blood test is done on a coronavirus patient who has turned negative. Two more tests are conducted to be sure about him/her being negative. Then after 14 days, the blood is tested for presence of antibody.

If the antibody is found above a certain level, and the person is above 55 kg in weight, the donation is accepted. Then 800 ml plasma is separated and split into four parts.

Of this, 200 ml is used to treat a patient whose condition is turning serious. The plasma can be stored for many weeks.

So far, 5,243 Covid-19 patients have been cured.