Pakistan’s first COVID-19 patient recovers from plasma therapy

KARACHI: Pakistan’s renowned hematologist has claimed a successful clinical trial of passive immuinisation after a coronavirus patient recovered through plasma therapy.

Dr. Tahir Shamsi, head of the National Institute of Blood Diseases, said, “The first coronavirus patient treated through passive immuinisation therapy has recovered, and discharged from the hospital.”

Dr. Tahir Shamsi explained that the patient was administered plasma on April 30 and completely recovered on May 8. He, however, refused to reveal the details of the patient.

He further said, “More than 12 patients are currently being treated by the use of passive immunisation therapy,” adding, “The authorities had set a target of 350 patients to undergo the clinical trial.”

He also said, “Let me make it very clear that it’s a successful clinical trial only. We cannot declare it an approved treatment for the novel virus at this stage.”

“We still have to wait to say something definitive in this regard after more and more successful clinical trials,” the hematologist said.

Earlier on March 31, the Sindh government had approved the use of passive immunisation therapy to treat coronavirus patients across the province.