Delhi 6th Sero-survey: 97% of People Have COVID Antibodies, Says Health Minister

The survey has tested as many as 28,000 blood samples from all the 280 wards in Delhi.

The sixth serological survey conducted in Delhi has revealed that over 90 percent people of the city have developed antibodies against COVID-19. (Picture used for representation only)

(Photo: PTI)

The sixth serological survey conducted in Delhi has revealed that sero-prevalence is at 97 percent, Health Minister Satyendar Jain said on Thursday, 28 October.

According to a report submitted to the Union government, the survey, that began on 24 September tested as many as 28,000 blood samples from all the 280 wards of the national capital.

The survey has found that all the districts of Delhi have more than 85 percent seropositivity. Women reportedly were more seropositive compared to men.

This is the first serosurvey that was carried out in Delhi after devastating second wave of COVID-19 that had engulfed the country in April and May, this year.

'Delhi Unlikely to Witness a COVID Wave As Bad As the Second Wave'

The higher sero positivity rate in Delhi indicates the city is unlikely to witness a COVID wave as bad as the second wave unless a severe new variant of the virus emerges, a government official told PTI.

But, it cannot be said that Delhi has attained herd immunity as there is no data to substantiate that the virus would not spread after a certain percent of the population gains antibodies against COVID, he added.

"However, the same variant of the virus (Delta) cannot lead to a major epidemic. So, we can say there won't be another wave of coronavirus as big as the second wave until a new severe variant emerges."

A government official, as per news agency PTI.

Further, the official said that the generated antibodies would be partially effective against the new variants of coronavirus.

According to a report by NDTV, the figure includes the count of people who had generated antibodies through vaccinations, which has been going on in Delhi at a rapid rate.

In the fifth sero survey conducted in this January, Delhi had a sero positivity rate of 56.13 percent.

Meanwhile, nearly 2 crore persons in the city have received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine, while 48 percent of Delhi's population has received both the doses, as per government data. The national capital reported 42 fresh COVID-19 cases on Thursday.

(With inputs from PTI and NDTV)