Mumbai sero survey: 45% in slums exposed to COVID-19 – Times Now

Mumbai: A second sero survey in Mumbai has found that the antibodies in samples from slums in the Maharashtra capital have decreased by 12 per cent. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) conducted the survey in mid-August on 45 per cent of the slum population in the city.

The municipal body in its official release said that the antibodies indicate that the person has been exposed to coronavirus. The survey was conducted R-north (Borivali), M-West (Mankhurd and Govandi) and F-North (Worli and Lower Parel).

“Sero-positivity from the second round, taken together with the current number of reported cases from slum areas in these wards, indicates there could be a reduction in the spread of infection in slum areas,” said the BMC.

The latest findings reveal that COVID-19 infection in women was a bit higher than men in both surveys.

“Emerging scientific evidence hints at fall of antibody levels in recovered patients/ asymptomatic patients over a period of time and this might have contributed to the trend between two rounds of sero survey. The impact of this on immunity, if any, is still unknown,” the BMC release said.

The survey which was conducted on health workers also revealed that the Sero-prevalence amongst them was around 27 per cent. In the second survey, sero-prevalence in the age group of people above 40 was slightly higher.

Mumbai COVID-19 death toll rises to 8,969

Mumbai on October 1 recorded 2,352 new coronavirus cases, taking the tally to 2,07,494. With 43 patients succumbing to the deadly contagious virus, the death toll in the city climbed to 8,969. Notably, the financial capital of the country on September 30 reported the highest-ever single day spike of 2,654 COVID-19 cases.

1,70,678 people have recovered in the city and Mumbai’s recovery rate of COVID-19 patients stood at 82 per cent.

The city at present has 27,435 active cases.