Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar: The Study conducted by GMC Srinagar has found that Covid-19 is prevalent among 40.6 percent people in summer capital Srinagar.
Pertinently, in the first round of the survey, the Covid prevalence was found just 3.8 percent in month of June.
Dr Mohammad Salim Khan, Professor and HOD Community Medicine Government Medical College Srinagar told that the study conducted this month by Government Medical College Srinagar’s department of community medicine and bio chemistry in collaboration with CMO Srinagar, director health services Kashmir and supported by JK National Health mission conducted 2nd round of sero prevalence study in Srinagar which showed 40.6 percent of the sampled population have developed antibodies.
The sero-survey was conducted in twenty clusters across Srinagar district coving both urban and rural areas and the prevalence was found more among women and in elderly population, he said, adding that around 82% persons who had previously tested positive for COVID using rtPCR/ RAT showed IgG antibodies within their blood samples while surprisingly 37% who have tested negative on rtPCR / RAT also showed presence of antibodies against SARS CoV-2 Infection.
He further added that some areas showed over one half to two third of sampled population to have positive samples for COVID antibodies. Nine hundred fifty-nine (959) samples were positive for IgG against SARS-CoV-2 living a sero-prevalence of 40.6%., he said, adding that out of the 2,361 participants, 1,335 were male and 1,026 were female and the sero-prevalence was significantly higher among females (459/1026=44.7%) as compared to males (500/1335=37.5%).
Moreover the sero-prevalence also increased significantly with age and those with a history of ILI-symptoms in the previous three months, and those with a history of contact with a known COVID-19 case had higher sero-prevalence as compared to their counterparts with no such history, he said, while adding that out of a total of 115 participants who reported having a positive COVID-19 test (RAT/RT-PCR) ever, 95 (82.6%) were sero-positive and among the 432 participants who reported a negative COVID-19 test (RAT/RT-PCR), 159 (36.8%) were sero-positive.
The present study showed many fold increase in Sero positivity among Srinagar population as compared to our previous study conducted in June this year where sero prevalence of SARS CoV-2 Infection in Srinagar district was just 3.8%, he said, adding that majority of population has been exposed to SARS COV-2 virus and we shall still continue to follow SOPs religiously to prevent infection among vulnerable populations especially elderly and persons with co-morbidities, said Dr. Muhammad Salim Khan.
“Blood samples of both rounds of Sero prevalence study in district Srinagar were tested on high end Architect analyser of Abbott Laboratories which was also used by ICMR during their recent country wide sero survey of SARS CoV-2 Infection in India”, said Dr. Sabhiya Majid, professor and HOD of Biochemistry department GMC Srinagar and Co-Principal investigator of the study.
“If we extrapolate the results of the study on general population of Srinagar district, we may presume that around 6 lac population must be expected to be sero positive to SARS COV-2 infection amongst 15 Lac population in Srinagar district, said Dr. Muhammad Salim Khan.
He further added that sero survey is undergoing in nine other districts of Kashmir division this time and their results are expected soon—(KNO)
