Source::
KATHMANDU
RSS
The government has started anti-body testing regarding spreading of COVID-19 infection at the community level. The Ministry of Health and Population, Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD) has deputed technical teams with experts to all seven provinces from today for conducting anti-body tests with the support of World Health Organization.
The teams have been deputed to the provinces after imparting training to them in Kathmandu. Division's director Dr Basudev Pandey said the teams have been mobilized to study whether the COVID-19 infection has spread to community level.
According to him, it would be known after the study is completed whether or not the infection has spread to community level and, if it has spread, to what level.
'Sero prevalence' would be examined in the community for the anti-body test. The teams will reach the local level concerned today and start collecting blood samples from Sunday after training the local technicians on Saturday.
Nepal is currently in the second phase of infection. Transmission of infection from an infected person to another person is considered the second phase of transmission. The Ministry had announced that infection entered the second phase after the coronavirus infection transmitted from a person who had come home to Kailali from abroad in Chait to another member of his family.
In the third phase of infection, the infection has spread to the community. However, in Nepal, infection has spread to clusters, according to the Ministry. "Infection has spread to clusters in some districts in Nepal at present. It will be known only through the study to what level of the community the infection has spread," Pandey said.
He shared that COVID-19 has spread in some clusters in some districts and the study would further give a better picture of its effect and infection. The virus infection was found for the first time in the country on February 3. A total of 98,617 individuals are found infected so far in the country.
According to Health Ministry sources, 71,343 have won the battle against the deadly virus and have returned to normalcy after infection.
Similarly, 590 have died of infection till the data is released. Similarly, 26,684 are the active cases of virus in the country.
According to the sources, 235 are under treatment in various hospitals’ ICU while 42 are on ventilator support.
The Division has identified six clusters in each State for anti-body test. The clusters comprise different age categories like infants, senior citizens and youths for the anti-body test.
According to Division's public health officer Ram Kumar Mahato, 15 individuals in each ward would be selected for sample test. This ratio will target 450 individuals in each province for sample test. Such sample would be sent to national laboratory before the Dashain festival.
The survey study will show the result of virus infection at the community level after the lab report. Mahato added that whether or not it has spread in community level or not would be confirmed after the lab report.
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