The Indian Medical Council of India released the findings of the second national sero-survey on Tuesday. As per the latest findings, 7.1% of the adult population showed evidence of past exposure to coronavirus disease (Covid-19), the ICMR said on Tuesday.
The survey also showed that urban slum and urban non-slum areas have a higher prevalence of Covid-19 as against to the rural areas of the country. The risk in urban slums was twice than that in non-slum areas and four times the risk in rural settings, According to the findings.
“One in 15 individuals aged more than 10 years were estimated to be exposed” to the viral disease till August month, Balram Bhargava, Director General of ICMR said in a briefing.
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Sero survey is done by analysing blood samples of selected individuals for antibodies against Sars-Cov-2, the virus that causes Covid-19. It determines if a person has already been infected and recovered, considering a majority of patients do not exhibit symptoms and not everyone is getting tested for the viral infection.
The sero survey also aims to determine how the disease prevalence has changed since the first sero survey in May, when the nationwide lockdown was in force, to now, post-lockdown with fewer restrictions on public movement.
{{/usCountry}}The sero survey also aims to determine how the disease prevalence has changed since the first sero survey in May, when the nationwide lockdown was in force, to now, post-lockdown with fewer restrictions on public movement.
{{/usCountry}}Like the previous survey, this survey was also designed as a cross-sectional survey of adults aged 18 years or above from 21 states, wherein the districts were categorised into four strata according to the reported Covid-19 cases per million population (zero, low: 0.1-4.7, medium: 4.8-10 and high: >10).