Cuttack: A Serological survey which was extensively conducted in the municipal corporation area in the last few days has revealed that 46.39 per cent residents of the Silver City have developed COVID-19 antibodies in them.
Briefing the press about the latest development, Commissioner of Cuttack Municipal Corporation, Ananya Das said, “A total of 2274 blood samples were collected from the CMC area during the study conducted in the city between November 2 and November 5."
Official data reveals that 1634 samples were collected from 25 wards in the city, while 640 samples were collected from the high-risk groups which included COVID warriors, health workers, police officials, government employees, municipal corporation employees and press members.
According to the survey results, 41.8 per cent of people in the 25 wards of the city have been exposed to the virus. Antibodies were found in only 22% people in ward number of 16 which is minimum while the maximum of 67% of people in ward number 47 were found with the antibodies. Similarly, the sero prevalence of the high-risk group is at 56.4 per cent.
While the development of the anti-bodies was more in young people, at least 90 per cent of the people with antibodies were asymptomatic, the study revealed.
CMC Commissioner thanked the ward officers, Swachh Sathis, ASHA workers and Anganwadi workers who were instrumental in conducting the Sero-Survey.
She urged the residents not to get complacent and maintain all the COVID guidelines including hand hygiene, face covering and social distancing till the Covid crisis subsides.
Director of Bhubaneswar Regional Medical Research Center (RMRC), Dr Sanghamitra Pati informed that the purpose of the survey was to ascertain whether people have developed collective immunity against COVID-19.
There are two kinds of sero-survey; community sero-survey, that is done among the general public and the other one is done on the high-risk groups who are mostly exposed to the COVID patients.
The community sero-survey was conducted in 25 clusters (25 wards) randomly in the city. Similarly 60 households were randomly selected from each cluster (ward) for the survey.
(Edited By Suryakant Jena)