BENGALURU: The general population of Karnataka has a COVID-19 sero-positivity rate of 69.8%, results of the 4th serosurvey conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).ICMR) Display. The survey examined the presence of SARS-CoV2 antibodies in the blood. This confirms previous exposure to the virus.
On July 20, the Union Health Ministry released the results of the 4th National Serosurvey and now it has revealed the state-specific data. The national survey was conducted in 70 districts in June and July and included children in the age group of 6-17 years. According to ICMR, the overall seroprevalence in the country’s population was 67.6%.
In Karnataka, three districts – Bangalore Urbanhandjob Chitradurga and Kalburgi – were part of the survey. A total of 1,326 people from these districts underwent antibody tests. Of them, 69.8% (926) tested positive.
Karnataka’s seroprevalence rate is the ninth highest in the country. While Madhya Pradesh leads with a seroprevalence rate of 79%, Rajasthan is at the second position with 76.2%. Bihar (75.9%), Gujarat (75.3%), Chhattisgarh (74.6%), Uttarakhand (73.1%), Uttar Pradesh (71%) and Andra Pradesh (70.2%) follow the same sequence.
According to the survey, Kerala is at the bottom of the list of states with a sero prevalence rate of 44.4%.
In his letter to all the states on Tuesday (July 27), Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said the serosurve was designed to capture the extent of the spread of the infection across the country. Therefore, he said, the results would not reflect the variation of prevalence between districts or even between states.
“Thus, it is essential to generate district level data on seroprevalence for devising local public health response measures,” reads the letter, a copy of which is with TOI.
Incidentally, the report was widely criticized by experts, who warned that it did not mean that herd immunity had been achieved. The letter also directed the states to conduct their own seroprevalence studies in consultation with ICMR so that standardized protocols are followed.
bad statistical application
Dr. MK Sudarshan, President, State covid-19 technical advisory committee (tac), said the results are based on a national statistical framework and include only three districts of Karnataka. Hence, it cannot be seen as a reflection of the ground reality in Karnataka.
“Isolating the data from these districts and normalizing it as the seroprevalence rate in Karnataka has poor statistical application,” Dr Sudarshan said. “This is not in line with the standard view of epidemiology.”
He said states would have to conduct their own, appropriately designed surveys to draw conclusions and then initiate interventions. “Data for three of the 30 districts does not represent the prevalence in the state. At most, they can be used to judge seroprevalence in three districts,” he said.
Incidentally, the results for the 2nd serosurvey of Karnataka conducted in January 2021 are yet to be released. In May, researchers conducted a sub-study to understand the reduction of antibodies.
On July 20, the Union Health Ministry released the results of the 4th National Serosurvey and now it has revealed the state-specific data. The national survey was conducted in 70 districts in June and July and included children in the age group of 6-17 years. According to ICMR, the overall seroprevalence in the country’s population was 67.6%.
In Karnataka, three districts – Bangalore Urbanhandjob Chitradurga and Kalburgi – were part of the survey. A total of 1,326 people from these districts underwent antibody tests. Of them, 69.8% (926) tested positive.
Karnataka’s seroprevalence rate is the ninth highest in the country. While Madhya Pradesh leads with a seroprevalence rate of 79%, Rajasthan is at the second position with 76.2%. Bihar (75.9%), Gujarat (75.3%), Chhattisgarh (74.6%), Uttarakhand (73.1%), Uttar Pradesh (71%) and Andra Pradesh (70.2%) follow the same sequence.
According to the survey, Kerala is at the bottom of the list of states with a sero prevalence rate of 44.4%.
In his letter to all the states on Tuesday (July 27), Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said the serosurve was designed to capture the extent of the spread of the infection across the country. Therefore, he said, the results would not reflect the variation of prevalence between districts or even between states.
“Thus, it is essential to generate district level data on seroprevalence for devising local public health response measures,” reads the letter, a copy of which is with TOI.
Incidentally, the report was widely criticized by experts, who warned that it did not mean that herd immunity had been achieved. The letter also directed the states to conduct their own seroprevalence studies in consultation with ICMR so that standardized protocols are followed.
bad statistical application
Dr. MK Sudarshan, President, State covid-19 technical advisory committee (tac), said the results are based on a national statistical framework and include only three districts of Karnataka. Hence, it cannot be seen as a reflection of the ground reality in Karnataka.
“Isolating the data from these districts and normalizing it as the seroprevalence rate in Karnataka has poor statistical application,” Dr Sudarshan said. “This is not in line with the standard view of epidemiology.”
He said states would have to conduct their own, appropriately designed surveys to draw conclusions and then initiate interventions. “Data for three of the 30 districts does not represent the prevalence in the state. At most, they can be used to judge seroprevalence in three districts,” he said.
Incidentally, the results for the 2nd serosurvey of Karnataka conducted in January 2021 are yet to be released. In May, researchers conducted a sub-study to understand the reduction of antibodies.
.