Mumbai, May 1: The first coronavirus patient to undergo plasma therapy in Maharashtra succumbed to death, reports confirmed on Friday. The deceased, identified as a 53-year-old male patient, died on April 29 in Mumbai. A statement issued by the private Lilavati Hospital in the city confirmed that he was administered with the plasma therapy. Delhi's 1st COVID-19 Patient Treated With Plasma Therapy Recovers at Maxis Healthcare Hospital, Tests Negative.

"A 53-year-old male patient, the first to undergo plasma therapy in Maharashtra passed away on 29th April," Dr Ravishankar, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Lilavati Hospital. The demise comes amid speculations that the plasma therapy may play a crucial role in bringing down the mortality rate due to COVID-19.

While Maharashtra has been unsuccessful with plasma therapy in its first trial, Delhi recorded a success. A critically ill coronavirus patient in the national capital recovered after he was administered with the plasma treatment on April 14.

Within four days, the Delhi patient showed improvement and his samples were tested negative. He was treated at the Max Healthcare hospital in NCR, and was discharged last week after four consecutive tests found him negative for COVID-19.

Update by ANI

The plasma treatment has been initiated in several states of India, with approval from the Indian Medical Council of Research (ICMR). According to Dr Randeep Guleria, the chief of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi, the success of plasma therapy would depend on the number of recovered patients donating their blood.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 01, 2020 08:42 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).