Urgent Need For Group B Blood In Bangkok

[george]

Urgent need for blood donations as new strain of dengue fever emerges

BANGKOK: -- The Thai Red Cross Society today appealed for urgent donations of Group B blood to cope with the emergence of a new strain of dengue haemorrhagic fever.

In a statement released this morning, the Thai Red Cross Society said that dengue fever patients in Ramathibodi Hospital required 40 units of blood each day, equivalent to the blood from 40 donors.

However, with no Group B blood in its reserves, the hospital is in desperate need of new donors.

The hospital is also said to be facing shortages of blood from other groups.

Donors are being urged to contact the Thai Red Cross Society and can arrange for donations each day of the week.

--TNA 2005-05-07