The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has said that the presence of COVID-19 antibodies in samples from slums in the city was found to have decreased by 12 per cent in the second phase of serosurvey conducted in the metropolis. The Mumbai civic body along with NITI Aayog and the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) conducted the second phase of the survey in the second half of August in areas like Borivali, Mankhurd, Govandi, Worli and Lower Parel.

The BMC has said that the result of the second phase of serosurvey indicated the infection spread in slums in the city has considerably declined. The latest survey statistics also stated that the seroprevalence of COVID-19 infection in slums is 45 per cent, compared to 57 per cent in the first serosurvey in the city in July. It added that the seroprevalence in buildings was around 18 per cent as against 16 per cent in the first survey.

According to the survey report, Seroprevalence among health care workers in both the rounds was approximately 27 per cent. However, the survey report stated that the impact on immunity, if any, is still unknown. Also, the seroprevalence of COVID-19 infection in women was marginally higher than men in the city in both rounds.