blood donations

OneBlood sent extra blood to hospitals ahead of Hurricane Milton’s landfall. However, the blood bank says it will need to catch up after many donation centers closed due to the storm.

The statewide blood bank says that blood and platelet donations are urgently needed ahead of Hurricane Milton.

OneBlood has returned to normal course of business for distribution of blood products to hospitals following last month's ransomware attack.

The primary provider of blood in Florida says it’s remaining operational to collect, test and distribute as it works to restore full functionality to its systems "as expeditiously as possible.”

The Red Cross says donations are at a 20-year low and hospitals are demanding blood products faster than the organization can replenish supplies.

While the number of people eligible to donate blood has expanded, the agency says it will continue to monitor the safety of the blood supply.

The country is experiencing a continued nationwide blood shortage. While Florida blood bank levels aren't critically low, don't wait for an emergency to donate.

Blood centers in the U.S. are scrambling to track down hundreds of thousands of former donors turned away because of worries about mad cow disease in Europe more than two decades ago.

Part of the reason for the shortage is that there are fewer donors visiting blood collection centers in cities and towns in the aftermath of the pandemic, the National Health Service said.

A combination of the pandemic and severe weather have disrupted planned blood drives and caused a drop in donations.