After national capital, India's second national-level plasma bank was opened in Tamil Nadu at a cost of Rs 2.34 crore, C Vijaybhaskar, Health Minister, Tamil Nadu said here on Thursday.
"We were earlier conducting the plasma method on a trial basis. Four people in Madurai successfully underwent the process in the early stages and a few more banks will be set up in nearby districts. We now have the approval of the Indian Council of Medical Research and have opened the second plasma bank at the national level with a total budget of Rs 2.34 crore," said Mr Vijaybhaskar.
He added, "After a COVID-19 patient is discharged, the patient has to wait for 14 days before they can donate their plasma. Plasma will be separated from the blood, which can be stored and used for up to one year."
Mr Vijaybhaskar also mentioned that a committee was constituted to discuss the death count and it was recommended that 444 deaths be added to the COVID-19 deaths count in the state.
"We have conducted 2 million tests so far and have the highest number in terms of testing compared to other states," the state health minister said.
As per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Tamil Nadu has reported a total of 186,492 COVID-19 cases, including 51,765 active cases, 131,583 recoveries and 3,144 deaths.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
4-Year-Old Boy, Bitten By Stray Dog, Dies Of Rabies In Tamil Nadu: Report Upset Over Performance In Football Game, Tamil Nadu Teacher Slaps, Kicks Students "Act Decisively": MK Stalin To Centre Over Arrest Of Fishermen By Sri Lanka Nurse Raped, Killed On Way Home, Body Found 9 Days Later In UP "Don't Expect Anything From Me": Kolkata Hospital's New Principal Loses Cool Rahul Gandhi's Seat At Red Fort Triggers Fresh Congress Attack On BJP Trump To Hold Press Conference, His Campaign Adds Senior Advisers Left, BJP, Creating Unrest: Mamata Banerjee On Midnight Attack At Hospital 'Don't Club Us With Others,' Says Manipur's Thadou Tribe, Waits For Peace Plan Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.