For the first time in eastern India state-run Medical College Hospital (MCH) started the process of convalescent plasma therapy (CPT), a treatment that requires plasma donations from people who have recovered from Covid19.

The plasma is administered to Covid-19 patients who could not generate sufficient antibodies against the virus.

Covid patients who do not have other pre-existing serious ailments can undergo the CPT. Doctors led by Dr Prasen Bhattacharya, head of blood transfusion medicine unit at MCH, started the process of collecting plasma on Wednesday from Manami Biswas, a resident of Habra in North 24 District who has recently recovered from coronavirus infection.

Her plasma will be administered among two COVIDaffected patients undergoing treatment at Beliaghata ID Hospital next week, MCH sources said.

Manami who had contracted the killer viral infections after coming back from Scotland about two months ago was the third COVID patient since the disease hit Bengal. With clearance from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) under the ministry of health MCH’s blood transfusion medicine unit ventured to go for CPT that has already been kicked off in states like Delhi, Maharashtra and Karnataka.

“Convalescent plasma is a promising therapy that could help patients whose bodies aren’t producing enough antibodies to curb the disease. This trial will help us understand whether the treatment should be used more widely to treat Covid-19 patients,” an expert in haematology said.

Coronavirus infection has also reached the staff quarters of the ID Hospital.

Around seven Group-D employees staying at the quarters were found carriers of coronavirus. Their swab samples were tested COVID positive at the laboratory. All of them have been admitted to the ID Hospital.

With the reports of COVID infections among the seven employees panic has gripped other residents of the quarters at Beliaghata.

The killer virus has also spread its network among policemen one after other also.

The officer-in-charge (OC) of Beliaghata police station along their five other family members including wife, a daughter and a son contracted coronavirus infections.

Sources at Lalbazar, Kolkata Police headquarters, said his wife was infected with the virus first while she was undergoing a surgical treatment in a nursing home.

She was tested COVID-19 positive on Monday.

On Tuesday, OC along with his four other family members was tested positive in the COVID confirmatory tests. All of them have been taken to the ID Hospital.