“Of 29,082 people surveyed from August 17 to September 22, 6.6% showed evidence of past exposure to SARS-COV2,” DG of ICMR, Balram Bhargava said stating the sero-survey report.
One in 15 individuals aged more than 10 years were estimated to be exposed to Covid-19 by August 2020, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)’s second national sero-survey report, the government said on Tuesday.
“Of 29,082 people surveyed from August 17 to September 22, 6.6% showed evidence of past exposure to SARS-COV2,” DG of ICMR, Balram Bhargava said stating the sero-survey report.
According to the second sero-survey report, he added, urban slum and urban non-slum areas had higher SARS CoV 2 infection prevalence than that of rural areas. “Risk in urban slums twice than that in non-slum areas and 4 times the risk in a rural setting,” the report said.
“Since a large portion of the population is yet susceptible, prevention fatigue is to be avoided and 5T strategy (Test, Track, Trace, Treat & Technology) is to be adhered to,” Dr Bhargava stressed.
7.1% of the adult population showed evidence of past exposure to COVID-19, the ICMR sero-survey findings stated. Lower infection to case ratio in August compared to May reflects a substantial increase in testing, detection.
While speaking at the health ministry presser today, Dr Bhargava said ICMR’s second Sero Survey report revealed that a considerable population is still vulnerable to Covid-19.
In the light of the upcoming festivities, winter season and mass gathering, inventive containment strategies need to be implemented by the states, the ministry added.
However, the government also added during the presser that the recovered cases of novel coronavirus in India today crossed 51 lakh-mark, the highest in the world.
Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, Union Health Ministry said the count of COVID-19 deaths per million population in India is amongst the lowest in the world.
The ministry also added that the number of COVID-19 tests per million population has crossed 50,000 in India. 2.97 crore tests have been conducted in the month of September, the ministry said.
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