Plasma has been beneficial to save many lives: Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said plasma has been beneficial in bringing down Delhi's death rate due to COVID-19.

"Delhi was the first to inaugurate the country's first plasma bank and within days another plasma bank has been set up. Till the time there is no vaccine available for COVID-19, plasma works as an aid to save people's lives," Kejriwal said while inaugurating the second plasma bank in the national capital at the Lok Nayak Hospital.

"We are not saying that it would save 100 per cent lives but many lives have been saved because of this. Plasma therapy has played a major role in lowering the death rate due to COVID-19 in the national capital," Delhi CM told reporters here.

"In the last few days everyone has come forward -- the people of Delhi, doctors, paramedics, governments (the centre and state) and religious institutions -- have done a commendable job, due to which Delhi's situation is slowly coming under control. The recovery rate has also increased," he added.

Kejriwal pointed out that the number of positive cases per 100 has also come down from 35 and is now fluctuating between seven and eight cases.

"The death rate has also reduced. In mid-June close to 101 deaths were reported on a daily basis but now that has come down to 40 new deaths on a daily basis. We need to reduce it further," he stated.

Asked about whether there is a need for COVID-19 centres as the recovery rate in Delhi is improving, he replied that these facilities have been set up to ensure that there are enough arrangement in case there is a new surge of cases.

"Right now you are seeing that beds are empty and we are also seeing the same. But we would be continuing our preparations so that if we see a spike in cases, we are prepared for the situation. No one can predict anything about the coronavirus," he said further.

Delhi has a total of 113,740 COVID-19 cases, of which there are 19,017 active cases, 91,312 patients have been cured or discharged and 3,411 persons have succumbed to the virus, as per the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

( With inputs from ANI )