Sero-survey by BMC puts Mumbai kids at lower risk

A civic health worker tests a child who arrived from Ajmer at Dadar station in May. File pic

Amid warnings from experts about the third Covid-19 wave hitting children more, a sero-survey conducted by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has revealed that 51 per cent children have developed antibodies against Covid-19. The survey tested blood samples of 2,176 children.

The survey shows increased seropositivity than a study whose results came in March. The survey was conducted from April 1 to June 15 across 24 civic wards of the city. The sero-survey was conducted by the BYL Nair Hospital and Kasturba Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory of the BMC.

It tested 2,176 blood samples received from public and private laboratories. While 1,283 samples were from public labs, 893 were from the network of two private labs.

Children wait for their parents amid testing of arriving passengers at Dadar station on June 25. Pic/Ashish Raje

The overall sero-positivity is 51.18 per cent including 54.36 per cent from public labs and 47.03 per cent from private labs. Seropositivity is highest in the age group 10-14 years at 53.43 per cent. The sero-positivity rate in the age group of one to four years is 51.04 per cent, in the age group of five to nine years it is 47.33 per cent and in the age group of 15 to 18 years it is 51.39 per cent.

"There is an increase in seropositivity in the paediatric population to Covid-19 as compared to the sero-survey 3 conducted in March. The previous survey found 39 per cent sero-positivity below the age of 18 years which indicates that a significant proportion of children accessing healthcare services were exposed to the virus during the second wave of Covid-19," said Suresh Kakani, additional municipal commissioner.

Sero-surveys in city so far

>> In March, the third sero-survey conducted for all age groups found that seropositivity against Covid-19 increased in non-slum areas and decreased in slum areas. The survey tested 10,197 citizens and found sero-positivity in 36.30 per cent of them.

>> According to the survey, 41.6 per cent seropositivity was found in samples from civic hospitals (slum areas). In the first survey, slums accounted for 57 per cent seropositivity and in the second survey, they accounted for 45 per cent seropositivity.

>> In the third survey, blood samples from private laboratories (non-slum areas) showed a seropositivity of 28.5 per cent. In the first survey, it was 16 per cent. The second survey found 18 per cent sero-positivity in non-slum areas.

>> The first and second sero-survey were conducted in three wards in July 2020 and in August 2020. In the third dsurvey, blood samples were collected from municipal clinics and private laboratories across the city.

Sero positivity

From April 1-June 15
>> 1 to 4 years - 52.04 per cent
>> 5 to 9 years - 47.33 per cent
>> 10 to 14 years - 53.43 per cent

Conducted in March
>> Seropositivity below 18 years: 39.4 per cent

1,283
No. of samples taken from public labs

893
No. of samples taken from private labs