ICMR Plans To Launch New Pan India Serosurvey To Detect People's Exposure To Covid-19

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is planning to carry out a nationwide sero-survey to determine the exposure of coronavirus infection among the population, it was announced on Friday (10 July).

The new survey will be similar to the one conducted in May, the results of which are still awaited.

A sero-survey involves testing of blood serum of a group of individuals and this is used to monitor trends of the coronavirus disease at the district level. The survey is carried out by the ICMR in tandem with the National Centre for Disease Control and with the help of state Health Departments.

Rajesh Bhushan, Officer on Special Duty in the Union Health Ministry, said that the results of the sero-survey that had been conducted in May, and focused on infections of mid-April is still under process, reports Hindustan Times.

“The sero-survey that ICMR conducted across the country focused on infections of mid-April and preliminary findings were shared. Such sero-surveillance studies or any other scientific study is subject to peer-review and those inputs are also incorporated. So that process is going on. We will be in a position to share it once that gets over,” Bhushan was as saying by Hindustan Times.

An official said that a follow-up nationwide Serosurvey to the previous Serosurvey was being planned by the ICMR.

(With inputs from IANS)