Ascension Via Christi said Aug. 5 that its supply of convalescent plasma has been depleted in its Wichita, Kan., hospitals, The Wichita Eagle reported.
Convalescent plasma is collected from people who have recovered from COVID-19 and have antibodies that could treat people infected with the disease.
The American Red Cross announced a shortage of plasma last month.
Laura Potter, supervisor of the Ascension Via Christi St. Francis Blood Bank, told The Wichita Eagle that the blood bank hasn't received plasma in five days, but the hospital has several patients waiting for it.
Wichita, Kan.-based Ascension Via Christi said it's used convalescent plasma in more than 80 adult COVID-19 patients in its Wichita hospitals and has four patients waiting for plasma, all of whom either have severe or life-threatening COVID-19 or have been deemed as high risk for progression to that stage of the disease, according to The Wichita Eagle.
Janie Krull, director of research for Ascension Via Christi, said most patients who have been treated with convalescent plasma at Ascension's hospitals have recovered well enough to be discharged.
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