Sero-survey: ICMR-NIN report shows 15 COVID-19 cases out of 500 GHMC samples

Hyderabad: The ICMR-NIN sero-surveillance study aimed at finding out community transmission has revealed that only 15 cases out of 500 samples have tested positive for COVID-19 in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits.

From rural Telangana, four COVID-19 samples out of 1200 have come back positive.

Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) along with the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) started a district-level sero-surveillance study from May.

Sero-surveillance refers to testing the presence or absence of specific substances in the blood serum of a population. In Telangana, three districts have been selected for this survey held from May 15-17, which include Jangaon, Kamareddy, and Nalgonda.

The report showed that out of the 400 samples collected from each of these three districts, Jangaon reported two positive cases, while Nalgonda and Kamareddy reported one each.

In the case of the samples collected from GHMC, hundred samples were collected from each of the five containment zones including Adibatla, Balapur, Tappachabutra, Miyapur, and Chandanagar. However, the break-up of the number reported from each containment zone was not provided. This survey was held from May 30-31.

About 24,000 samples were collected at random from 70 districts in 21 states and Union Territories.

Sero-survey findings speculative: ICMR

Earlier on June 9, the ICMR had claimed that the findings in the ICMR sero survey are speculative after an article claimed that 15-30 percent of the people living in containment areas are exposed to COVID-19.

The ICMR had said that the findings appeared in media about ICMR Sero Survey for COVID-19 are speculative and the results are yet to be finalized.

Meanwhile, Konatham Dileep, Digital Media Director, government of Telangana said the results of the ICMR-NIN study have “come as a huge relief.”

“The results of COVID-19 Sero Prevalence rapid survey done by Union Govt organizations ICMR and NIN in Telangana comes as a huge relief. Only 4 positive cases out of 1200 samples in rural and 15 positives out of 500 samples in GHMC Containment Zones,” he tweeted.

As of June 10, Telangana reported 191 new COVID-19 cases taking the tally to 4,111. While the number of active cases in the state reached 2,138, a total of 1,817 patients have been discharged so far. The death toll has reached 156 after eight people died on June 10.