Islamabad: The National Institute of Health (NIH) on Tuesday announced that it would conduct a survey in the city to determine the prevalence of COVID-19 among locals, a news source reported. The assessment is aimed at facilitating healthcare institutions to become more aware about the disease’s net infection rate in the capital.
NIH officials stated that the sero-epidemiological survey of COVID-19 would help estimate the number of cases in different areas of Islamabad. They added that the institute’s Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme (FELTP) would carry out the survey. FELTP would also collaborate with the Ministry of National Health Services, Local Government Islamabad, and Health Services Academy (HSA) in this regard, they said.
The main goal of the survey is evaluate the risk factor for COVID-19. For this purpose, the survey would compare exposures among infected and non-infected people. The survey would also include the collection of blood samples and throat swabs for testing, along with conducting risk communication sessions among the public.
NIH Executive Director Major General Aamer Ikram states that survey would help the Health Services Ministry determine the extent of the infection in the city’s general population and calculate age-specific attack rates, which would lead to identification of fraction of the asymptomatic or sub-clinical infections.
