4th sero survey likely to be delayed: Delhi govt

The prevalence of antibodies against the Sars-CoV-2 virus, which causes Covid-19, increased from 29.1% in August to 33% in September, according to the initial findings of the third round of sero survey

The fourth round of the serological survey, due to be conducted in the Capital next month, is likely to be delayed by a week to 10 days, Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain said on Saturday, because of a high court order that requires the government to submit the September report to the court first.

A health worker collects a swab sample for coronavirus testing at Sukhdev Vihar in New Delhi on Saturday. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)

“The court had directed that the results of the September sero survey has to be submitted in the court first, and only then we can take a decision on the next sero survey. The survey for October is likely to get delayed; the report will be submitted in court on the 30th of this month, so it is unlikely we will be able to begin the next round of the survey from October 1. It is likely to be delayed by a week to 10 days,” Jain said during a media interaction on Saturday.

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The prevalence of antibodies against the Sars-CoV-2 virus, which causes Covid-19, increased from 29.1% in August to 33% in September, according to the initial findings of the third round of sero survey, as reported by HT earlier this month. The first sero survey of 20,000 people in Delhi was conducted in collaboration with the National Centre for Disease Control between June 27 and July 10 that found 22.9% to have antibodies.

The government then announced that a similar survey would be conducted by it during the first week of every month.