South Korean church members hit by COVID-19 to give plasma for research

The leader of a South Korean Church, the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, where about 5000 of its members were infected with Covid-19, has said some of the recovered patients will donate plasma for research.

This is coming after local officials filed a lawsuit against the church.In February and March, a massive outbreak among members of the Church made South Korea the scene of the first large outbreak outside of China.

At least 5,213 of the country’s total 12,484 cases have been linked to the church outbreak, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).

The founder of the Church, Lee Man-hee had internally advised recovered members to donate their plasma for coronavirus research.The media coordinator of the group, Kim Young-eun revealed to Reuters that many of the recovered church members wanted to donate to express thanks to the government and medical staff, she said.

The Church had been sued by the City of Daegu, the center where majority of the infections that emanated from the church, was affected. They filed a civil lawsuit against the church seeking 100 billion won ($82.75 million) in damages.

South Korea health officials have said that in the absence of other treatments or vaccines, plasma therapy may be a way to lower the death rate, especially in critical patients.