Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal during his media briefing on Friday said that plasma therapy tests on four coronavirus patients in the nation's capital have shown encouraging results. He went on to add saying the next few days will see more such trials taking place. Sitting alongside SK Sarin, Director, Institute of Liver and Biliary Science, Kejriwal said, "In the last few days, we have tried plasma therapy on four patients at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital. Till now the results are encouraging. These are only early results. We must not think we have found a cure for coronavirus. This has just given us a ray of hope,".

Plasma therapy is a medical treatment involving the transfusion of plasma from a convalescent coronavirus patient to a person in a critical state. Antibodies are rich in the blood of a convalescent patient and aid in the patient's quicker recovery. SK Sarin then said, "We are happy with the positive results in the four patients. Blood and plasma is ready for two-three other patients that we have at LNJP hospital, we may give them the plasma therapy today,". He also stated that the treatment can be a lead if 10 patients can be treated using plasma therapy. Arvind Kejriwal further added, "Those who have recovered from coronavirus, if they donate their plasma, only then can we take this treatment forward. Those who come forward and donate will show true patriotism,". He went on to say that two patients were treated using plasma therapy on Monday after being placed in the intensive care unit and are on the verge of being shifted to a normal ward three today while adding that the oxygen saturation rate and respiratory rate in the four patients has improved overall. Kejriwal then stated that one patient in a private hospital, whose health condition was highly critical, had undergone plasma therapy and has been taken out of the ICU and, could probably be discharged altogether today.

The Delhi CM concluded saying the Delhi government would request the Centre's permission for plasma therapy on all serious coronavirus patients in case all the trials go on to produce lucrative results. As of now, Delhi has recorded a total, of 2,376 COVID-19 cases with 50 deaths reported and over 800 patients recovering from the infection. Watch Arvind Kejriwal and ILBS Director SK Sarin speak about the initial plasma therapy trials in the video below:

Initial trials of plasma therapy give hope... https://t.co/8ZQmeCWiPu

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) April 24, 2020