Bhubaneswar: In a bid to assess the development of antibodies in human body against Covid-19, a team of health experts from the Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC), Bhubaneswar, which is a unit of ICMR, is set to kick off the Sero surveillance in three Odisha districts- Rayagada, Ganjam and Koraput- from today.
It is a part of the fourth round of nation-wide Sero survey for Covid-19 wherein 70 districts across the country with three from Odisha have been included for the survey.
As many as 10 clusters have been selected from 11 blocks in Rayagada district from where 40 blood samples of different age groups would be collected for examination to assess the presence of antibodies in their bodies.
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Similarly, the expert team will collect samples from 10 clusters in seven blocks of Koraput while eight villages of Ganjam and two wards of Berhampur Municipal Corporation in the district have been included in the survey.
The district authorities have been asked to provide all logistic supports to the survey team.
Sero survey is a kind of blood test, wherein blood samples are collected randomly from selected people and are tested to determine the presence of IgG (Immunoglobulin G) antibodies that determine a past infection due to the virus.
Earlier, the State government had decided to include those above six years in the survey anticipating a possible third wave of COVID-19 to affect children.
“For the first time, children above six years will be brought under the ambit of this survey,” Director of RMRC Sanghamitra Pati said. The survey will be completed in four days, she added.
Official sources said as many as 43,573 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported among children in the age group of 0-14 years in Odisha so far.
Health experts said the outcome of the sero-survey will help the state government prepare strategies to face a possible third wave of the pandemic.