India, June 2 -- With barely 5,000 units of blood available at blood banks across the city, Mumbai is witnessing severe blood shortage which is making families of patients run from one hospital to another or post online pleas. The state health department is scrambling to replenish stocks through urgent blood donation camps even as some are falling prey to scammers posing as donors.

According to estimates, Mumbai needs an estimated 1,000-1,400 units of blood daily. But as of May 30, only 5,325 blood units and 65 single donor platelet (SDP) units were available across the city, which the State Blood Transfusion Council (SBTC) warned would last for only five-six days.

The acute shortage began in the last week of May, largely due to a seaso...