Srinagar, Jul 22 (IANS): A plasma screening camp was held by Jammu and Kashmir Police and department of health and medical education at Kashmir Nursing Home in Srinagar, on Wednesday.

Policemen and civilians who had contracted COVID-19 and have now recovered will be voluntarily donating their blood plasma after undergoing screening.

"The screening camp is being organised for patients who recovered from COVID-19. They have been invited for screening to find whether antibodies have developed and whether they are eligible for plasma donation. They have voluntarily decided to donate plasma, when they are eligible, their plasma will be collected. We plan to create a plasma bank," said Dr Naveed Shah, HoD Chest Disease Hospital Srinagar.

Plasma therapy is effective in dealing with the disease but not many have been coming forward to donate plasma. This is an effort to encourage people who recovered from the disease to go for plasma donations in Kashmir. The screening shall continue over the next few days.

"Yesterday I got to know that a plasma screening camp is being organised in Srinagar, so I came here, I had tested positive for the disease and recovered, I think it is my duty to help others who are in need of plasma to recover from the disease by donating it," said Javed Rather, a Srinagar resident.

Meanwhile, there has been a surge in the COVID-19 cases in Jammu and Kashmir. To date over 15,000 people have tested positive and 263 have died due to the pandemic.

The Jammu and Kashmir government has ordered a strict lockdown in Kashmir in all the red districts except Bandipore in North Kashmir from Wednesday evening till Monday.