Serosurvey in Puducherry reveals 1 out of 20 persons have COVID-19 antibodies

A serosurvey conducted in Puducherry revealed that one in 20 people showed signs of COVID-19 infection by the end of July. The antibodies found in the urban population was higher than the rural population according to JIPMER survey. The community-based survey conducted by the centrally administered medical institute was aimed at studying the frequency of the COVID-19 antibodies which in turn help in understanding the spread of the virus. 

Puducherry COVID-19 Serosurvey 

Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, released the information on Friday. A team of experts from the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine and Microbiology selected patients at random for the survey. Blood samples were collected from the patients and analysed and tested for COVID-19 antibodies.  

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The experts collected samples from people of Puducherry from August 11 to August 16. The samples were collected from people in 30 clusters of 18 years and above of age. According to the population of the Union territory, a ratio of 21:9 of urban and rural areas was maintained while collecting the samples for the COVID-19 serosurvey. 

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The immunoassay was used to look for antibodies which indicated that 1 out 20 people may have had COVID-19 infection by the end of July. A total of 869 people were tested out of which 43 had antibodies against the virus as per the serosurvey. The urban population has 5.7 per cent people with antibodies while rural areas had 3.1 per cent. According to this serosurvey, more women had antibodies as compared to men in Puducherry. 

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JIPMER reported that as compared to the people who were diagnosed by RT-PCR till July 24, the people with who had the antibodies were nearly 26 fold larger. The medical and research institute plans to conduct a repeat survey to test the exposure to the coronavirus by the last week of August. It has been suggested that the serosurvey be conducted by the second or third week of this month. 

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COVID-19 in Puducherry

Puducherry currently had a total of 16,164 confirmed coronavirus cases out of which 5,210 are active and 10,674 are active. The COVID-19 death toll in the Union Territory is at 280. 

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(With inputs from PTI)