Serological survey: Out of sample tested, over 14% cases have Covid-19 antibody

Kolkata: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in its serological survey found the prevalence of IgG antibody in 57 people in the city out of 396 whose blood samples were tested.

This suggests that 14.39 per cent of the total number of people undergoing Serosurvey in the city tested Covid

positive.

The infection rate in the city is much higher than that of the other five districts of Bengal where the survey was also conducted. The IgG test may not be useful for the detection of acute infections but it shows if a particular infection occurred among a section of people in an area or if they have developed antibodies in the blood components.

A Serosurvey includes IgG Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) test, which looks for proteins found in COVID-19 antibodies.

The ICMR along with the state Health department and Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) started serosurvey in the city more than two weeks ago.

The health workers in the state collected samples from the people for the IgG tests only to check for the prevalence of COVID-19 among the general population.

The survey was conducted in five more districts as well such as Alipurduar, Bankura, Jhargram, South 24-Parganas and East Midnapore. Around 400 samples were tested from each district.

Around 10 persons were found positive from South 24-Parganas, four found in Alipurduar, three from East Midnapore and one each from Bankura and Jhargram.

The survey report which was submitted to the state health secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam by director general of ICMR Dr Balram Bhargava suggests that the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection is much lower in the districts compared to the city.

The State government extended full support to the ICMR with an aim to examine if an immunity system has been developed among the people because the serological survey gives an idea to the health experts on how the virus has impacted the people and how far the present method of treatment is effective.

The state health department earlier along with the KMC had started a door-to-door survey to assess the situation at ground level.

People who were reluctant to reveal suspected symptoms in fear were taken care of by the health workers.

Rapid antibody tests were also initiated throughout the city mostly in the containment zones after the lockdown was announced.