PATNA: Medical experts have started conducting serological survey in six more districts of Bihar to asses the intensity of COVID-19 spread in the state.
The six districts, namely Arwal, Muzaffarpur, Buxar, Begusarai, Madhubani and Purnia, are among 70 districts in the country where the sero-survey is simultaneously being conducted as per the guidelines of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
In Bihar, the survey is being done by experts of ICMR's Patna based Rajendra Memorial Research Institute (RMRIMS).
Confirming this, Principal health secretary Pratyay Amrit said that the sero-survey would give all details on the causes and prevalence of infection among the people. He also said that the survey will give some information whether or not there is community spread.
Official sources said that 2,400 samples, 400 from each district, would be collected from all the villages which witnessed a sharp rise in positive cases. The findings would later be sent to ICMR and the National Institute of Research on Tuberculosis (NIRT).
In the first survey, conducted during the period from May 17 to 20, nearly 0.7 per cent disease resistance against COVID-19 was seen to have developed in Bihar. It was found that 17 people had developed immunity against the coronavirus out of 2,400 persons.
Health Secretary Pratyay Amrit, who has brought a sea change in fight against COVID-19, further added that the toll has gone up to 568 while 84,578 people have recovered so far in Bihar.
''The recovery rate has increased to 75.01 per cent and positivity rate declined below four per cent. A total number of only 27,612 active positive cases of COVID-19 are in the state'', he said.
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