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‘Golden blood’: Terengganu woman is among the 43 people in the world with rarest blood type

Terengganu woman with the rare Rhnull blood type at a donation drive. – Picture via Facebook/dermadarahterengganukite
Terengganu woman with the rare Rhnull blood type at a donation drive. – Picture via Facebook/dermadarahterengganukite

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 29 — A Terengganu woman has become an online sensation over the weekend for having the rarest blood type in the world.

Dubbed “golden blood”, Rhnull blood type can only be found in 43 people worldwide, out of which, one is a Malaysian woman.

According to a Facebook post by Terengganu blood bank, the woman is the only person in Malaysia living with the rare blood type.

“This donor’s blood group is Rhnull, the rarest blood type in the world,” reads the post.

The blood bank said that the donated blood will be sent to the national blood bank in Kuala Lumpur, where it will be stored in a nitrogen-filled container at -80 degrees for 10 years.

“If there is a patient who needs this type of blood, then this blood will be diluted for use.

“You are the special one, sis,” reads the Facebook post.

According to the Australian Academy of Science, people living with this blood type have a total absence of any of the Rh antigens (proteins) on the red blood cells.

It was reported that the rare blood group was first discovered in an Aboriginal Australian woman in 1961.

Its rarity means that donations of Rhnull are extremely scarce and difficult to obtain when individuals with the blood type need a transfusion.

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