The COVID-19 seroprevalence survey conducted in the Maldives has revealed 10% of participants who had not tested positive for COVID-19 had contracted and recovered from the disease without knowing.
The seroprevalence survey was conducted jointly by Health Protection Agency (HPA) and Maldives National University (MNU). The survey was conducted to identify the percentage of people in the community who have had past exposure to the virus, determine how much the community has been exposed to the virus, and identify the level of immunity among individuals. The findings of the survey were disclosed to the public during a press conference held at Health Emergency Operation Centre (HEOC).
The survey revealed 13.4% of the participants had COVID-19 antibodies in their body, indicating they had contracted the disease and recovered. Exposure to the disease was higher among expatriates than locals, with antibodies found in 36.4% of expatriates compared to 8.5% among locals.
The survey also revealed 57.9% of participants who had tested positive for COVID-19 had antibodies in their body, while the remaining 42.1% did not have antibodies. Meanwhile, 10% of participants who had not tested positive had antibodies in their body, indicating they had contracted and recovered from the disease without knowing.
Speaking on the findings, Director of Research at MNU Dr. Raheema Abdul Raheem said antibodies were mostly found in middle-aged people, while the amount of antibodies was shown to be lower among older people. She noted 11.2% of people who had contracted the disease less than one month before the survey had antibodies, while this figure dropped to 6% among individuals who had contracted the disease more than six months earlier. Dr. Raheema said although the period in which antibodies are present in the body cannot be stated conclusively, it is very clear that the amount of antibodies in the body decreases with time.
Speaking on the findings, HPA Epidemiologist Dr. Ibrahim Afzal said the survey has indicated that changes are not required for the precautions and measures currently in place. He noted the results of the survey had matched HPA’s expectations on the level of community exposure to COVID-19.