Young people donate blood in a voluntary campaign in Đà Nẵng. The city has called for blood donation in filling up the shortage at hospitals' blood reserve. — VNS Photo Công Thành

ĐÀ NẴNG — Đà Nẵng General Hospital has made an urgent call for blood donations as reserves have been severely affected by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Head of the hospital’s haematology and blood transfusion department doctor Phạm Thị Ngọc Ánh said blood reserves would run out in four or five days and they currently only have about half of the reserves the hospital would normally store.

She said the department has 700 units of blood, only enough to supply patients who faced fatal diseases or an emergency.

“We often receive more than 1,500 units of blood from donors in March when students from universities and colleges begin their blood donation campaigns. However, all universities and colleges are closed and students are staying at home to stop COVID-19 spreading,” Ánh said.

“The hospital has set up a strict process for blood donors to avoid SARS-CoV-2 infection. All donors must be sterilised and have a health check and their temperature taken before giving blood,” she said.

According to the hospital, blood donated by people in Đà Nẵng provides 99.5 per cent of blood used for transfusions and emergency cases for the city. The number of voluntary blood donors in the city accounts for 3.25 per cent of the population, the highest rate in the country.

The city has a list of 650 individuals able to donate blood at short notice in emergency cases.

Young people from Thanh Khê District donated 483 blood units in a voluntary campaign last week.

Coronavirus tests

In COVID-19 news, the city has begun using home sample tests for all local and foreign people who entered the city from abroad.

Medical response teams will visit every household to take samples.

The city encouraged all people to stay at home and limit contact at public sites, and all people were warned to wear face masks in public.

Nine people were fined in Sơn Trà District when they did not wear face masks in public on Monday. — VNS