Beijing is now facing the first grave shortage of type AB blood in the past 20 years, threatening the safety of such blood for clinical use, an official with the Beijing Red Cross Blood Center said Friday.

As of 1:00 p.m. Thursday, all type AB blood stored at the center had been used, the official said.

The center collected more than 1,000 units (one unit equals to 200 cc) of blood the same day. But only 100 of the units are type AB blood, and this blood needs further testing before being stored, the official said.

The center had only 60 units of type AB blood Wednesday and but more than 300 units were needed by local hospitals.

The Beijing Red Cross Blood Center called on local residents to donate blood.

The official said normally, the center stores at least 5,000 units of blood, and 10 percent to 12 percent of which are type AB blood, which can meet the demand by local hospitals.

Demand for type AB blood has increased in local hospitals beginning Nov. 17. The number of blood donors has decreased due to cold weather. This has especially caused a shortage of AB blood, because people with this blood type account for only 10 percent of the population, the official said.

The Beijing Red Cross Blood Center provides blood for more than 300 hospitals in the capital, 90 percent of Beijing's total hospitals.
 
(Xinhua News Agency December 18, 2004)