5.15 pc of Bhubaneswar residents have developed antibodies against COVID-19: Survey

In the first phase of the serology study which was conducted earlier, 900 samples were collected and only about 1.42 per cent of the residents of Bhubaneswar was found to have developed antibodies for COVID-19. The BMC commissioner said the community exposure to COVID-19 virus was relatively low in the city may be due to a plethora of enforcement measures taken by the civic body like enforcement and campaign to more use of masks, practising physical distancing, frequent washing of hands and creating community awareness.

Around 5.15 per cent of the residents of Bhubaneswar have developed antibodies against COVID-19 infection, according to a serological survey. The Regional Medical Research Center (RMRC), Bhubaneswar collected around 1,320 samples during the two-day community serological study in the Odisha capital city on August 28 and 29.

The serological survey by the RMRC of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) found that 5.15 per cent of the people of Bhubaneswar have developed antibodies against COVID-19, an official said. A serological survey is conducted to assess the prevalence of a disease in a society or population to see if people have developed antibodies against a virus.

It shows how many or what percentage of the population had contracted a particular disease and have acquired immunity against it. The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday cautioned the citizens of the state capital to be more careful as only around 5.15 per cent of the residents have developed antibodies against COVID-19 infection.

On the results of the survey by RMRC, BMC Commissioner PC Chaudhary said, "the less prevalence of the antibody in the city population indicates that still there is a high risk of infection in near future and thus the city is currently experiencing a spike in the COVID-19 positive cases." During the serological survey the RMRC received 1,320 samples from various locations. In the first phase of the serology study which was conducted earlier, 900 samples were collected and only about 1.42 per cent of the residents of Bhubaneswar was found to have developed antibodies for COVID-19.

The BMC commissioner said the community exposure to COVID-19 virus was relatively low in the city may be due to a plethora of enforcement measures taken by the civic body like enforcement and campaign to more use of masks, practising physical distancing, frequent washing of hands and creating community awareness. A large majority of the population is still susceptible to the infection and hence all preventive measures under COVID-19 Protocol is the need of the hour, he said.

The BMC commissioner asked the people to be extra careful by adhering to the COVID-19 protocol. Till Friday, Odisha had reported 1,16,678 COVID-19 cases and Khurda district, of which Bhubaneswar is a part, had reported 19,740 cases.

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