Kerala Conducts Seroprevalence Survey To Assess Covid Spread

The Kerala government is conducting a seroprevalence study to take stock of the spread of the coronavirus among the people of the state.

State Health Minister Veena George said the study began earlier this month and is expected to be completed by the end of September.

The study will help understand the Covid seropositivity rate among various age groups including children, Ms George told reporters.

"The Health Department is conducting the seroprevalence study. It is expected to be completed by this month-end. It will be carried out among children as well as adults," the minister said.

Asked about schools in the state resuming offline classes, Ms George said the study will help understand the seropositivity among children and the government will take further decisions after the study.

The study report will be submitted to the chief minister, General Education and other officials concerned, who will take a call on the reopening of schools after that.

On the concerns regarding cases of Nipah virus reported in Kozhikode last week, she said all the samples tested so far had turned out to be negative and that it is a matter of relief.

"Source tracing is as important as contact tracing. A special team from the National Institute of Virology is already collecting samples from the state to identify the source of the spread of the viral infection," she said.

The minister also said that the ongoing strict vigil and restrictions in the affected areas will continue for some more time.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday said his government had conducted a complete house-to-house survey within a three-km radius from the house of the 12-year-old boy who died after being infected with the Nipah virus on September 5.

In the survey, around 15,000 houses were included from the containment zone and details were sought from around 68,000 people, the chief minister said.