Reserves at the blood bank have been greatly diminished with the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) asking for O-positive, O-negative and A-positive donors on Monday. 

On Sunday reserves were critically depleted, but an urgent appeal for blood donors brought 112 to blood transfusion centres, which improved the situation, an NBTS spokesperson said.

Despite low blood reserves those who needed a blood transfusion were able to receive it, the spokesperson confirmed. 

In Sunday’s urgent Facebook appeal, the NBTS appealed for careful driving. 

“Road accident victims often require blood transfusions, putting further pressure on the blood bank,” a spokesperson for NBTS said.  

Three road accidents between Saturday evening and the early hours of Sunday left seven people injured. 

2022 was an especially dangerous year for motorists and pedestrians.  26 people perished on Maltese roads last year, making last year the deadliest on record for traffic accidents. 

Among the victims, 14 were pedestrians, one was driving a horse-drawn carriage and eight were motorcyclists 

“We appeal for a lot of prudence in driving so as to reduce accidents and the pressure on the Blood Bank as much as possible,” the NBTS said on Sunday. 

Three separate road accidents in Ħal-Far, Floriana, and Victoria left seven injuries, six seriously injured.  

On Monday 10 A-positive, 58 O-positive and 10 O-negative bags were still especially needed.  

O-negative donors are especially useful as “the Universal donors,” the spokesperson said.  

“When a Casualty punctures an artery, they receive O-negative blood before the casualty’s blood type is determined,” she said. 

O-negative blood can be transfused to all patients.