India’s first seroprevalence study started by Government Medical College Srinagar in June has revealed that 3.8 per cent population and 2.5 per cent health care providers in Srinagar district show antibodies against the novel coronavirus.
Srinagar is the worst affected district in Jammu and Kashmir due to Covid-19. The district has so far reported 182 deaths while 7253 people have been infected.
The study conducted by the Department of Community Medicine and Department of Biochemistry, GMC Srinagar to estimate the seroprevalence of antibodies against coronavirus among health care workers and the general population of District Srinagar from 15 June to 15 July 2020.
Dr Mariya Amin Qureshi, Assistant professor Community Medicine and co-principal investigator of the study, said in the general population, 2923 blood samples were collected and transported to the laboratory for testing, under standard precautions.
The samples were collected from people, more than 18 years of age, visiting 20 selected hospitals across Srinagar plus three other sites in the District.
“The study revealed that 3.8% (111 persons) of the population had the presence of IgG antibodies against Covid-19,” she said.
Dr S. Muhammad Salim Khan, Head Department of Community Medicine said if they apply this estimate to the adult population of Srinagar having a population of over 10 lakh, then the number of IgG positives at the time of the survey was expected to be 38000.
“Of the 111 IgG positives, 63 were males, 48 were females. The prevalence of IgG positives was 4.3% among males, 3.3% among females. 115 persons reported having influenza-like symptoms in four weeks before the survey and out of them 12.2% showed the presence of IgG antibodies,” said Khan who is also principal investigator of the study.
The study also studied the seroprevalence of antibodies against coronavirus among health care workers in Srinagar district.
Dr Inaam Ul Haq, assistant professor Community Medicine and the co-principal investigator said among HCWs who participated in the study, the prevalence was 2.7% among male HCWs and 2.1% among female HCWs.
“Of the IgG positive HCWs, 12 were above 60 years of age. The IgG positives included 27 doctors, 9 nurses, 10 technicians, 2 ambulance drivers, and 8 hospital security staff among others,” he said. “339 HCWs reported having at least one contact with a known coronavirus positive case.”
Principal GMC Srinagar, Dr Samia Rashid, who mentored the study said that the results of this seroprevalence study show that, on average, 3.8% of people in Srinagar have been infected with the novel coronavirus.
“Given the current scenario of positive cases emerging from the District, it is expected that the seroprevalence may further increase in near future as cases are increasing and develop antibodies against the virus,” she said.
The study on health care providers is the first of its kind in the country and only a few states/UT’s have conducted the community-based study.