Sampling Model on Surveillance of COVID-19 virus among Human Populations

Abstract

India stands at 90,927 confirmed cases of Covid-19 infection with WHO classification of clusters of cases. The governments around the world including India are mostly testing only people showing symptoms of flu, which are underestimating the real numbers due to presence of asymptomatic humans under virus incubation period. Random surveillance testing should, therefore, start as soon as possible to establish the mortality rate and virality of the Coronavirus. Such surveillance for Covid-19 provides valuable early warning information about the spread of the virus and also reduces the uncertainty surrounding the true extent of the pandemic and its mortality rate. Considered one of the most reliable forms of data collection, surveillance testing is takes small number of demographically representative random people to use as an estimate for the whole population. Due to these reasons, attempt was made to develop a model for Covid-19 virus surveillance using rapid antibody testing method for screening the human populations on disease prevalence, which can be followed by rRT-PCR testing. This screening method was test checked in virtual situation in Qutbullapur Municipality of Medak district, Telangana state, wherein three different areas – High risk, Moderate risk and Low risk, each having 3 km area were identified in the Municipality with 2118 houses and projections were made for virtual sampling in 4 replicated unit areas. The projection of cost analysis came as Rs. 11,900 for first round rapid sample collection from randomly selected houses in entire Municipality, which appeared as a feasible financial projection for a disease like Covid-19. Major town/cities can consider to adopt this as surveillance method for covid-19 virus. How to cite this article:Rao AMKM, Kanchana ND, Sharma SN. Sampling Model on Surveillance of COVID-19 virus among Human Populations. J Commun Dis 2020; 52(2): 31-36. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/0019.5138.202016