Published: August 29, 2020 1:42:51 am
Of the 7,103 samples collected from 85 districts in Indore for the serosurvey, 548 tested positive for antibodies. (File / Representative)
HAVING averaged a substantially higher Covid-19 case fatality rate than the national average even last month, Indore has left authorities stunned with its first sero survey, showing antibodies among only 7.75% of the covered population. This is the lowest for cities in India where sero surveys have been conducted, and officials say it indicates no community transmission in Indore.
In another interesting finding, the survey, carried out between August 11 and 23 and which included a sample size of 7,103, found a high proportion of antibodies among the group over 60 years, which is the most vulnerable to Covid- 19. The survey report was released on Friday.
Madhya Pradesh’s largest and most populous city and its commercial hub, Indore, accounts for a significant portion of its coronavirus cases. Of the state’s total of 58,181 positive cases so far and 1,306 deaths, 12,031 cases and 375 deaths have been seen in Indore.
Of the 7,103 samples collected from 85 districts in Indore for the serosurvey, 548 tested positive for antibodies. The samples collected included an equal number of men and women (33% each) older than 18 years, the remainder being the youngest. Only one sample was taken from each household. The prevalence of antibodies was almost the same between men and women: 7.9% and 7.5% respectively.
Seroprevalence was found to be highest in residents between 45 and 60 years of age (10.04%), followed by those closest to 60 years (8.4%). Among those under 18, only 7.2% showed antibodies.
The wards with the maximum number of cases showed the highest seroprevalence, with Bambai Bazar Ward in the highest (30%), followed by Somnath, Haji Colony, Jawahar Marg and Ranipura (20-25%).
Dr. Jyoti Bindal, Dean of MGM Medial College Indore, who conducted the serosurvey in conjunction with the National Center for Disease Control, said: “Reports suggest that positive cases and subsequent antibody prevalence are not scattered but confined. to critical points. This certainly rules out community transmission. “
He said measures such as isolation, identification, testing and tracing appeared to have contained the spread of the virus.
Indore’s fatality rate has been consistently high, standing at around 5 percent in July, nearly 2 percent higher than the national average of 2.95 percent. Most of their deaths have occurred in the age group 60 years and older, with comorbidities.
Additional Chief Secretary Sulemman Mohammad said: “Most of the deceased reported late to the hospital.”
While they claimed the numbers showed the city was not seeing community transmission, officials said it also meant that about 92% of the population was still susceptible to the virus.
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