Family of elderly COVID-19 patient appeals for blood plasma from recovered patients

After her 70-year-old father tested positive for COVID-19 on March 1, daughter Ashley Chung took to social media to appeal for recovered patients to donate plasma as part of a new trial to save those infected.

Two new cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in Singapore on March 3, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in Singapore to 110. Ms Chung’s father was Case 109.

The elderly man worked at Fish Mart Sukuraya along West Coast Road prior to hospital admission, and according to the Ministry of Health, he did not serve any customers or handle food. The 70-year-old also has no recent travel history to affected countries and regions but developed symptoms of COVID-19 on Feb 25.

Ms Chung said that the family was surprised when her father was tested positive. She also added that he felt so lethargic on Feb 25 that he overslept on the bus and missed a stop on the way to work the next day.

He was sent to the emergency department at Singapore General Hospital (SGH) on Feb 29 and was already trembling and feeling breathless at that point in time.

He was subsequently admitted into ward Class B2 of ward 66 with other patients with respiratory problems and was tested for Covid-19 the next day.

Ms Chung is aware convalescent plasma therapy was used to save Covid-19 patients who are critically ill in China and in her Facebook post, appealed to the 78 recovered patients to come forward to be part of the convalescent plasma trial in Singapore.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday (Mar 4), she wrote: “Dear all, my family is appealing to donors – Covid19 recovered patients to come forward to express their interest to be part of the convalescent plasma trial which has been initiated and considered”.

“My dad is case 109. He is gravely ill when we last checked with the doctor from SGH. Our family is hoping that this plea can help to fast track the plasma therapy for critically sick patients”, she added.

According to the Ministry of Health, as of Mar 5, there are seven Covid-19 patients in critical condition. /TISG