UP: Plasma Therapy is an experimental line of treatment for COVID-19 patients (File)
An Uttar Pradesh doctor, 58, who was the first COVID-19 patient to receive plasma therapy in the state, died of a heart attack on Saturday. His condition had improved drastically after receiving the treatment, a Lucknow hospital said in a statement, adding he tested negative for the virus on Saturday.
"A 58-year-old, Orai-resident doctor was admitted in KGMU (King George Medical University) coronavirus ward. After the therapy, his lung condition had improved a lot. Unfortunately, he developed a urinary tract infection. He was treated for the condition, and was subjected to dialysis. His two samples were found to be coronavirus negative," the hospital said.
"His wife's both samples tested negative. She has been discharged," it added.
The doctor was on ventilator for the last 14 days, KGMU Vice Chancellor MLB Bhatt said.
Since he had high blood pressure and diabetes, he was under the continuous observation of doctors in the isolation ward, he added.
"He, however, suffered a heart attack around 5 pm. Despite all efforts, he could not be saved," he was quoted by news agency PTI as saying.
Plasma Therapy is an experimental line of treatment for COVID-19 patients. Under the procedure, plasma - a component of blood - from a cured patient is transfused to critically ill patients. The antibodies developed in the blood of recovered patient help fight the virus inside the bodies of those unwell.
The centre had advised against considering the therapy to be regular treatment for coronavirus, and said it should be used for research and trial purposes till there is robust scientific evidence to support its efficacy.
With inputs from PTI