75.38 per cent of children in Karnataka exposed to Covid, shows survey

The survey was conducted across the state from June 6 to June 14. The health department previously conducted surveys among adults in September 2020 and January 2021, in which the sero-positivity rates of 16.8 per cent and 15.6 per cent were found. A sero-survey involves the testing of blood serum to monitor the prevalence of coronavirus.

A total of 5,358 participants were enrolled for the study. As many as 2,726 (50.9 per cent) were boys and 2,632 (49.1 per cent) were girls. Of these, 1,662 (31 per cent) belonged to the 6-8 age group and 1,917 (35.8 per cent) to the 9-11 age group. The rest, 1,779 (33.2 per cent), were in the 12-14 age group.

Children from urban slums formed 30.3 per cent (1,625) of the participants, and 1,681 (31.4 per cent) of the surveyed were from urban non-slum areas. The rest, 2,052 (38.3 per cent), were from rural areas. The percentage of school-going children was 93.5 per cent (5,013). Only 709 (13.23 per cent) participants were symptomatic and the rest, 4,649 (86.77 per cent), were asymptomatic, the report added.

“Of the 5,358 participants surveyed, 57 samples were rejected, and 23 samples had inconclusive results, giving a total of 5,278 valid RT-PCR results. Among the valid RT-PCR reports, only 2 (0.04%) were RT-PCR positive, one symptomatic participant from Udupi and one asymptomatic participant from Chitradurga,” it said.

The report also said that over 86.88 per cent of the children in Bengaluru municipal corporation were exposed to Covid. “The highest seroprevalence of IgG was seen in the East Zone (95.19 per cent), followed by Yelahanka (94.69 per cent) and Rajarajeshwari Nagar (91.64 per cent). The lowest seroprevalence of IgG was seen in the Dasarahalli zone (62.37 per cent),” the report said.