Epidemiologists cautioned that the results of the survey should not be interpreted hurriedly in the absence of the complete data, especially with regards to absolute numbers of infection in the population.
Our Correspondent / NEEW DELHI
A Sero-Prevalence study conducted in Delhi has estimated that 23.48% of the Capital’s population was affected by Covid-19 and many of them would not have even known it as they did not show any symptoms.
“The study also indicates that a large number of infected persons remain asymptomatic,” a press note of the Union Health Ministry said. A total of 21,387 samples were collected for the survey.
“Nearly six months into the epidemic, only 23.48% of the people are affected in Delhi, which has several pockets of dense population,” the ministry said in its release.
The sero-prevalence study in Delhi was carried out by Delhi government, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and Ministry of Home Affairs.
The results of the study show that on an average the prevalence of IgG antibodies is 23.48 percent in Delhi. The study also indicates that a large number of infected persons remain asymptomatic.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare commissioned a Sero-Surveillance study in Delhi. This study has been done by the National Center for Disease Control in collaboration with the Delhi Government.
This Study was conducted from 27th of June to 10th of July in all the 11 districts of Delhi. 21 thousand 387 blood samples were collected from selected individuals and were tested for IgG antibodies using the ELISA testing kits.
It is one of the largest Sero-Prevalence studies conducted in the country using the ELISA testing. The tests have been done to identify the presence of antibodies in the general population. It provided information about past Covid-19 infection in individuals who tested positive. The Ministry said, a significant proportion of the population is still vulnerable and the containment and preventive measures need to continue with the same intensity.
Antibody testing like Sero-Surveillance provides important evidence for assessing the spread of the pandemic. Depending upon the level of sero-prevalence of infection, appropriate public health interventions can be planned and implemented for prevention and control of the disease.
As per the Indian Council of Medical Research, periodic sero-surveys are useful to guide the policy makers to conduct surveys in high risk areas or vulnerable populations who have been infected in the past and have now recovered.
Dr. Sanjay Rai , Professor of Community Medicine in AIIMS, Delhi, hailed the Delhi Sero Survey Report as a positive development. He said, the dwindling numbers of new cases in the Capital City also indicate that people in the city have started showing natural resistance towards the CoronaVirus. Dr. Rai however cautioned the public not to let down their guards and continue wearing masks and maintain physical distancing.