WUHAN/SHANGHAI — Twenty recovered coronavirus patients donated their plasma to those in severe condition in Wuhan, capital of the hard-hit province of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), said the province's COVID-19 scientific research team on Feb 16.

The donors are doctors and nurses who have recovered from the disease for 10 days at the Jiangxia District's No 1 people's hospital and traditional Chinese medicine hospital.

Twelve patients in severe condition have received the plasma treatment. An expert with Jiangxia District's No 1 people's hospital said that the patients have shown improved clinical symptoms about 12 to 24 hours after they received the treatment.

"We are observing the therapeutic results and improving our treatment plans," the expert said, adding that plasma donation won't hurt the donor once he or she has been cured for 10 days.

Zhang Dingyu, head of Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, a major designated hospital to admit confirmed cases in Wuhan, called upon cured patients who were infected with COVID-19 to donate plasma as initial results had indicated the effectiveness of convalescent plasma-derived therapeutic products in curing infected patients in severe and critical conditions.

In Shanghai, official data showed 124 patients have recovered from COVID-19 and discharged from hospitals by Feb 15, of whom 14 have shown willingness to donate their plasma to assist coronavirus research and treatment.

Some recovered patients regard the donation as a way to pay back to the society after they received timely and effective treatment.

"Before being discharged from the hospital, I learned from the nurses that I can donate plasma, which I think is very helpful," said a recovered patient surnamed Liu who is willing to become a donor.

"We were helped by others and we want to help other patients as well," Liu said.