First of monthly sero surveys in Delhi from August 1 to 5

The announcement came a day after the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) released results from the first such surveillance — known as a serological study — showing that 22.86% of 21,387 people who were tested showed signs of being exposed to the virus.

The Delhi government on Friday notified through a memorandum the schedule for the upcoming sero-survey in the city — from August 1 to 5, said a senior government official adding that standard operating procedure (SOP) for the implementation of the survey will likely be issued next week.

A medical personnel collects a blood sample during a serological survey at Tis Hazari in New Delhi. (Sanchit Khanna/HT PHOTO)

A new city-wide blood sampling will be carried out in the first five days of every month beginning in August, Delhi’s health minister Satyendar Jain had said on Wednesday, announcing a regular survey to determine how much further the coronavirus disease may have spread in the Capital.

The announcement came a day after the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) released results from the first such surveillance — known as a serological study — showing that 22.86% of 21,387 people who were tested showed signs of being exposed to the virus.

“The official memo notifying the schedule of the survey has been issued. District officials will carry out through their health and surveillance teams. They have been asked to be prepared. The SOP is likely to be issued next week,” said a senior official in the health department.