Thyrocare Labs, a private laboratory in Pune, tested a total of 4,116 samples for COVID-19 antibodies. The samples were either of COVID-19 positive patients or those suspected to have contracted the disease.
Upon testing, the laboratory found out that 16.95 per cent or 698 persons had developed anti-bodies against Sars-CoV-2 virus which causes COVID-19. The samples were of the residents from Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and the adjoining areas, reported Hindustan Times.
Pune Municipal Commissioner Vikram Kumar said that he will be unable to comment on the sero survey by a private lab. However, he added Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) along with Sassoon General Hospital (SGH) and Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune (IISER) along with Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) will be running parallel sero surveys which would be more definitive. "Such surveys will help us understand about opening up more activities in areas where more people are found to have antibodies in their body,” Kumar said.
Reportedly, the results of the first serological surveillance project are likely to be declared next week, said Divisional Commissioner Saurabh Rao on Tuesday. After Delhi and Mumbai, this is the first study to understand the percentage of the population affected by COVID-19, reported the Indian Express.
For the survey, more than 1,500 participants of above 18 years of age were included. They were randomly selected across locations in five wards where the infection was in high frequency.
Meanwhile, Pune district on Wednesday reported 2,997 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking its case count to 1,15,128.
The death toll in the district reached 2,619 with 67 patients succumbing to the infection.
"Of 2,997 cases, 1,584 are from the Pune Municipal Corporation limits, which has recorded 69,235 patients. However, 1,449 patients were also discharged from the hospitals," the official said.
With 1,024 cases in Pimpri Chinchwad, the COVID-19 tally there rose to 31,643.