67.6 % population above 6 yrs found to have Covid antibodies in 4th national serosurvey, Lok Sabha told

Of India’s population above the age of six, 67.6 per cent have developed antibodies towards COVID-19, found the Indian Council of Medical Research’s (ICMR) fourth national serosurvey performed between June 14 and July 6, the Lok Sabha was knowledgeable on Friday. Also, 85.2 per cent of the surveyed healthcare employees had antibodies towards COVID-19. Asked whether or not the federal government is planning a nationwide Covid serosurvey to decide the prevalence of coronavirus antibodies in the neighborhood, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar, in a written reply, mentioned 4 rounds of COVID-19 national serosurveys have been carried out by the ICMR.

The fourth spherical of the survey coated 36,227 people to estimate seroprevalence amongst kids aged 6-17 years, adults and healthcare employees. It was carried out in the identical 70 districts from 20 states and a Union Territory chosen throughout the earlier three serosurveys. “The seroprevalence estimates from the surveys has helped to track the extent of spread of infection in age groups and geographical locations (such as districts, rural/urban areas) over time as well as guide the response. The results of the serosurvey were widely disseminated to the respective state and district authorities,” Pawar mentioned in the reply.

On whether or not the federal government has additionally requested states to perform their very own localised surveillance workouts to assess the prevalence and unfold of an infection, she mentioned many states and cities have carried out serosurveys.

Metropolitan cities reminiscent of Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad have reported seroprevalence ranging between 17.6 per cent and 56 per cent at completely different time factors, the minister mentioned.  

On the opposite steps taken by the Centre to cease the unfold of coronavirus in the nation, Pawar mentioned well being is a state topic however the Government of India has supplied the required technical help and in addition supported the states by means of logistic and monetary help to additional strengthen the present well being infrastructure. 

Elaborating on among the initiatives, she mentioned the federal government, to complement hospital services has roped in tertiary care hospitals underneath ESIC, Defence, Railways, paramilitary forces, Steel Ministry and others. Many giant momentary therapy services have been established by the DRDO to handle the surge in COVID-19 instances in the nation.  “Due to concerted actions of central and state Governments, isolation bed capacity and ICU bed capacity which was only 10,180 and 2,168 before the first lockdown (as on March 23, 2020) is being enhanced continuously and is currently at 18,21,845 isolation beds and 1,22,035 ICU beds (as on July 20 July 2021),” the reply acknowledged.

Pawar mentioned the every day liquid medical oxygen manufacturing, which was about 5700 MTs every day in August 2020, has been elevated to 9,690 MTs as of May 13, 2021. This was performed by enhancement of liquid medical oxygen manufacturing in metal crops in addition to in different liquid medical oxygen crops. 

A system for real-time monitoring of oxygen manufacturing in metal crops and distribution of oxygen to states and UTs was additionally put in place.Restrictions have been imposed on the commercial use of oxygen.

Besides, a dynamic and clear framework for allocation of medical oxygen in session with states and Union Territories and all of the stakeholders reminiscent of related ministries, producers and suppliers of liquid oxygen has been ready, the minister told the Lok Sabha
Online digital options reminiscent of an oxygen demand aggregation system and an oxygen digital monitoring system have been developed to verify the demand for medical oxygen from all medical services and to observe their transportation, she mentioned. 

In order to keep away from wastage of medical oxygen, tips on rational use of oxygen have been issued on September 25, 2020, and additional revised and disseminated to states on April 25, 2021, the minister added.

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