In a most current sero survey carried out at slum regions of south Mumbai’s Cuffe Parade location, it was discovered out that 75% of the residents living in these slums have currently created COVID-19 antibodies, this indicates that 75% of these individuals have currently been exposed to the COVID-19 virus.
This is a single of the highest sero positivity price recorded in the nation and the positivity price in this study is also greater than the BMC study carried out earlier in October which showed sero positivity price in slum regions was about 45%.
The tests had been carried out by collecting blood samples of the residents amongst October 5 and 10 at the slum regions of Macchimar Nagar, Ambedkar Nagar (Transit Camp), Ganesh Murti Nagar – Part 1 and 3 and Geeta Nagar. The survey was a joint initiative of Harshita Narwekar – municipal corporator A ward and the Eyebetes Foundation.
Total 806 individuals had been surveyed for the study of which 605 individuals had created COVID19 antibodies. The study also showed that only a single% of the residents have underwent COVID19 diagnosis in the previous, which suggests that 99% of the resident size had been asymptomatic.
Corporator Narwekar stated that the outcomes will be valuable in terms of developing a road map for vaccine distribution.
“More than 75 of the slum areas residents have developed antibodies which means they don’t have an immediate requirement of the vaccines. This clearly states that more sero surveys are needed to be conducted by the BMC as Mumbai is a diverse city to get a clearer picture” Narwekar told FPJ.
Narwekar had been insisting the BMC to conduct a sero surveillance considering that July this year. As the civic physique did not respond, she preferred conducting the tests with a private home.
“The slum areas of Cuffe Parade were not part of sero surveys conducted by the BMC during September this year. This survey was necessary in our ward as many people from the slum areas are employed as domestic helps and drivers in the residential buildings and corporate offices” she added.
Dr. Nishant Kumar, who had lead the healthcare group stated the test outcomes astonished him and he opted for rechecking the sample size.
“We had to recheck 20% of the samples as the positivity rate was really high and we needed to be double sure” Kumar told FPJ.
The medical doctor informed the survey outcomes will differ location sensible as itis heavily influenced by components like the social stature of the samples, how lots of individuals living collectively in a residence and how lots of individuals living at an residence.
“In slum areas the positivity rate is higher because generally more number of people live in a single room and the number of people using common toilets is also higher” Kumar added.