Antibody tests for the coronavirus has showed the number of infections in the Los Angeles county , California could be 28 to 55 times higher than the number of reported confirmed cases, suggesting the possibility that many more people are infected in the United States than currently known.
The total number of infections stood at 787,960 on Tuesday, up by 25,240; and 42,364 fatalities, up by 1,433, continuing declining single-day toll from the record high yet of 4,591 last Friday.
The Los Angeles county anti-body testing results point to a more widespread presence of the infection in the population than understood and, more worrying for public health officials, many of those of infected could be asymptomatic and thus be carrying out the virus without realizing it, and passing it on.
The antibody testing, also called the serology test, checks for antibodies in people who may or may not be symptomatic, unlike the tests being used more popularly now that only checks people who are demonstrating all or one of the symptoms of the disease caused by the coronavirus.
Researchers of the University of Southern California conducted the study on 863 individuals and found, as they reported Monday, about 2.8% to 5.6% of the county’s adult population has antibody to the virus, that is approximately 221,000 to 442,000 adults in the count. And that estimate, they said, is 28 to 55 times higher than the 7,994 confirmed cases of Covid-19 reported to the county at the time the study was conducted.
{{/usCountry}}Researchers of the University of Southern California conducted the study on 863 individuals and found, as they reported Monday, about 2.8% to 5.6% of the county’s adult population has antibody to the virus, that is approximately 221,000 to 442,000 adults in the count. And that estimate, they said, is 28 to 55 times higher than the 7,994 confirmed cases of Covid-19 reported to the county at the time the study was conducted.
{{/usCountry}}“We haven’t known the true extent of Covid-19 infections in our community because we have only tested people with symptoms, and the availability of tests has been limited,” lead investigator Neeraj Sood, said in a statement. He is a professor of public policy.
“The estimates also suggest that we might have to recalibrate disease prediction models and rethink public health strategies,” he added, with obvious implications for the rest of the country.
New York began antibody testing Monday and these tests form a crucial part of all plans of reopening the country to make sure the virus was not left undetected among asymptomatic populations. But these are only beginning to be tolled out now as the country continues to grapple with a shortage the usual kits. States have asked the federal government for help.
As lockdown protests continued across the country three Three Republican-ruled states in the south have announced plans to begin easing the restrictions. South Carolina allowed the the reopening of department stores and flea markets on Monday, Georgia will allow gyms, spas and saloon to start from Friday and Tennessee will not extend the lockdown after April 30.