The preliminary data of the sero survey conducted by the PGIMER to detect the prevalence of Covid-19 in Chandigarh has shown that 7.6 per cent of the tested samples had antibodies against the virus, it was announced on Saturday.

PGIMER Director Jagat Ram said, "We are at a very preliminary stage of the study which is aimed at identifying the sero prevalence of Covid-19 at the community level and monitoring the transmission trends.

"It is too premature to say anything conclusively. The study is ongoing to collate more evidence to reach a definite result on the subject."

Mini P. Singh of the Department of Virology, who is spearheading the study, said the department conducted the test on 80 Covid-19 recovered patients. These included those patients who had donated plasma, and healthcare workers from the Institute.

"Out of 80 tested, 66 i.e. 82.5 per cent were found to have IgG antibodies, meaning thereby, that they developed antibodies post their recovery from Covid-19.

"In another test, 59 volunteers for the Oxford Vaccine trial along with seven healthcare workers (non-Covid) i.e. 66 participants, who were healthy and never encountered any symptoms of Covid, got tested for IgG antibody test.

"Out of 66 tested, five i.e. 7.6 per cent were found positive for IgG antibodies test, clearly indicating that they had caught the Covid-19 infection but were asymptomatic and hence had developed antibodies," said Mini P. Singh.

"This data shows that the majority of the Covid-19 recovered people developed antibodies. However, among the healthy population, the sero positivity was found to be only 7.6 per cent implying that most of the tri-city population is still not exposed to the virus. However, it is very preliminary data and larger systematic studies are on the way," Mini P. Singh added.