Blood Donations Surge, But More Donors Unlikely

The Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service said on Saturday that the blood donation rate has increased by more than 40 percent over the past three weeks, when compared with the same period last year.

Lee Cheuk-kwong said this was probably due to the Tai Po bus crash last month that killed 19 people. But he said he was not positive about the percentage going higher.

"There are several reasons. We are facing an ageing population. For the younger population, we have difficulties in mobilising them to come forward to donate blood in schools and universities", Lee said.

"The most important reason is the low haemoglobin in the general population. Majority of them have iron deficiency", he added.