New Zealand Requests 1.2 Million Square Centimeters of Donor Skin from the US After Volcanic Eruption

New Zealand has requested 1.2 million square centimeters of donor skin from the United States for transplants to assist those injured in the volcanic eruption on White Island. This was reported by TVNZ.

According to Peter Watson, head of the health department in the Manukau district of Auckland, the donor skin sourced from other countries has already been sent to the donor tissue bank in Victoria, Australia, and the organ and tissue donation service in Sydney. Australia has already delivered 20,000 square centimeters of tissue for further transplanting of the victims.

According to police reports, at the time of the eruption, there were 47 people present in the vicinity of the island, including New Zealanders and tourists from Australia, Great Britain, the United States, China, and Malaysia. One person was killed, and 38 others were taken to the hospital in Whakatane, where five of them later died. The fate of the remaining eight individuals on the island remains unknown.

White Island is New Zealand's only active volcanic island. The previous eruption was recorded in late 2012 to early 2013. White Island is one of the most frequently visited active volcanoes in the world, open for sightseeing tours, reported TASS.