Chandigarh:
Antibodies against the COVID-19 infection have been found in 27.7 per cent of people in Punjab’s containment zones, according to the findings of a sero-survey. This was Punjab’s first exclusive survey and was conducted in five containment zones from August 1 to 17 among a systematically selected random sample population of 1,250 people.
There were earlier surveys, but they were more generalised and conducted by the state government in coordination with the Indian Council of Medical Research, according to a government statement issued here. The latest survey’s findings were submitted to Chief Minister Amarinder Singh at a COVID review meeting on Thursday.
“A total of 27.7 per cent of the people in Punjab’s containment zones are found to be positive for COVID antibodies, indicating that they have already been infected and have recovered from the coronavirus,” as per the sero-survey’s findings. The findings showed that the SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19) antibodies’ prevalence in the containment zones to be the highest at 40 per cent in Amritsar district, followed by 35.6 per cent in Ludhiana, 33.2 per cent in SAS Nagar, 19.2 per cent in Patiala and 10.8 per cent in Jalandhar district.
The survey report came on a day when Delhi released its second sero-survey findings, which showed that antibodies against the COVID-19 infection have been found in 29.1 per cent of people in the national capital. For the latest Punjab sero-survey, one containment zone each was selected in Patiala, SAS Nagar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar districts. These zones had reported a high number of coronavirus cases.
The sample size was 250 people from each zone, and from each of the selected households, one person above the age of 18 was randomly chosen for the survey. Overall, the sero- prevalence of SARS CoV-2 antibodies was found to be 27.7 per cent in the containment zones where the highest number of COVID-19 cases had been reported.
However, in the remaining parts of the cities, prevalence of SARS CoV-2 would be lower, and in the rural areas, the prevalence would be much lower than the urban areas, as per the report of the survey. The survey was aimed at finding out the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies (IgM/IgG) using Rapid Antibody testing kits.
Giving details, the head of the state government’s Health Advisory Expert Group K K Talwar said a team of trained field assistants and laboratory technicians collected the data under the supervision of a medical officer. Accredited Social Health Activists and Auxiliary Nurse Midwifes facilitated the survey by identifying the households in the zones.
After explaining the purpose of the survey, written informed consent was obtained, following which a laboratory technician collected a venous blood sample under aseptic conditions. The blood samples were taken to the district public health laboratory where rapid antibody tests were performed, said the government statement.
