YUMA, Ariz- United Blood Services needs your help in getting more blood donors. due to the Zika virus risk, a large blood drive was cancelled in San Luis.
The Zika virus can be transmitted to people through mosquito bites and through sexual contact with someone who is exposed.
Sue Thew who works with the Public Relations Department at United Blood Services said, “United blood services was forced to cancel an extremely large blood drive in the San Luis area due to the Zika virus risk. Anybody who has traveled into Mexico in the past 28 days is deferred from giving blood.”
United Blood Services has scheduled a few urgent blood drives and hoping to take the places of those no longer eligible to donate blood.
Thew said, “Graciously the Yuma County library has scheduled a blood drive on Thursday the 25th as well as YRMC has canceled meetings in their corporate center to accommodate for the blood drive on Friday February 26th.”
Every day 500 blood donors are needed in Arizona to meet the needs of the 64 hospital across the state. United Blood services is the sole provider for blood components for Yuma Regional Medical Center.
Thew adds, “The San Luis cancellations was 50 donors that were instantly unable to give blood because so many of their members of their blood drive travel back and forth routinely crossing the border. It’s primarily affecting those cities that are close to the border and the deferral times for entering one one those countries.”
Here’s a full list of where you can donate blood this week in Yuma:
* Wed, Feb 24, 10am-2pm, Cocopah RV/Golf Resort, 6800 Strand Ave, Card Room #103
* Thurs, Feb 25, 10am-3pm Yuma County Library, Meeting Room B in Main Library.
* Fri, Feb 26, 8am-1pm, Yuma Regional Medical Center Corporate Center, 399 W. 32nd St, Kokapelli Conf. Rm.
* Sat, Feb 27, 7:30am-12pm, St John Neumann Catholic Church, 11545 E40th Street, Parish Hall