The seropositivity rate in the third survey across Haryana has been found to be 76.3% — 78.1% in urban and 75.1% in rural areas. The positivity rate was 8% and 14.8% in the first and second rounds respectively.
Releasing the report for the third round, Health Minister Anil Vij said the positivity rate among the children in the six to nine and 10-17 age groups was 69.8% and 73.2% respectively. Similarly, 75.3% men and 77.1% women were found to have developed antibodies against the infection. The positivity rate of 81.6% has been found in vaccinated people and 75.5% in those not vaccinated.
Kurukshetra highest
Mr. Vij said the survey was done to ascertain whether the COVID-19 antibodies had developed due to vaccination or naturally. The antibodies developed after vaccination were identified by the Spike Protein Antibody Test, he added.
Kurukshetra witnessed the highest 85% seropositivity rate and Faridabad the lowest at 64.2%.
However, 14% samples in Faridabad were found inconclusive and the survey will be conducted again in the district.
Mr. Vij said the positivity rate of 76% was comforting as majority of people were protected from coronavirus. He informed that around 2.47 crore beneficiaries were vaccinated in the State of whom 1.74 crore were administered the first dose and 73 lakh both doses.
Rajeev Arora, additional Chief Secretary, Health, said the major challenges before department during the third survey were the enlarged sample size of 36,520, which posed a huge burden for district authorities, and the testing of all these samples at District Civil Hospital Laboratory at Panchkula.
The reason behind testing at Panchkula laboratory was the shifting of testing technique to find out antibodies against spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2, he said.
The sample size for the first and second round was 18,700 and 15,840 respectively.
