The Blood Bank has acquired new equipment which will enable it to store rare blood types for up to 10 years, Health Minister Chris Fearne said today.

To date, such blood could only be stored for 40 days.

The new equipment freezes the blood to a temperature of minus 70 degrees.

The equipment will be commissioned in the coming weeks at the Blood Bank alongside St Luke's Hospital in Guardamangia.

Speaking during a visit to the bank, Mr Fearne said demand for blood is increasing owing to increased number of surgeries at the hospital.

At present some 18,000 blood donations are made every year. There were some 5,600 donors in the first four months of this year.

663 people donated blood for the first time this year and Mr Fearne augured that their number would increase. He thanked them for their generosity.

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