As per the health ministry, there are 4067 infected cases and 111deaths which has been reported due to COVID-19. 63% of the people who have died are above 60 years of age, 30% of the these people were in age group 41-60 years and 7% are below 40 years. 86% of the people who died had co-morbidities. Comorbidity means simultaneous presence of two or more health diseases like diabetics, kidney related problems, liver problems, heart problems etc.
Data also shows that men are more vulnerable to this virus than women. Of the above infected cases 76% and of the dead cases 73% are men. When compared to other country’s statistics, men in India are highly vulnerable to this virus. Germany (52%), France (47%), China (51%) are some of them. Some experts say there could be strong biological factors behind such vulnerability. Some say that the exposure of men to outside world and their daily routines like smoking, tobacco etc could also be a possible reason. In India, most men have diabetics and blood pressure related issues. Experts are conducting certain tests and recording the data to observe why this is happening. The data and studies which I have mentioned are not yet conclusive.
What are the tests that India is conducting at present?
India till now was doing RT-PCR tests. But with the arrival of Antibody test kits on April 5th, ICMR has announced to do antibody tests in clusters i.e. highly effected areas.
What is Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)
It is a lab technique combining reverse transcriptions of RNA into DNA. In simple words, this test particularly targets a section of DNA and reverse those transcriptions into RNA as COVID-19 is an RNA virus.
Nasal and throat swabs are used as specimens for detecting coronavirus. The test takes at least 12-24 hours for the confirmation.
What are Antibody tests?
As per the latest data reports from all over the world, around 50% of the infected people are asymptomatic. Therefore, these antibody tests will identify people who already have been infectious but have mild or no symptoms. The results will be given in 15-20 minutes after testing.
How does this Antibody test help?
Simple, first any person who is suspected of having virus would go through Antibody tests. If tested positive he shall be referred to a doctor and a certain criterion will be followed as per the new guidelines issued by ICMR. This test helps in identifying the COVID-19 cases as soon as possible by mass screenings.
But Experts caution that officials should be careful while doing these tests as they may show false positives because of cross reaction with other virus antigens. In simple words, if our body gets attacked by any virus it releases antibodies. These antibodies protect and give us immune to fight virus. But these antibodies take time to develop again. So, if tests are performed in early stage, they may not give accurate results.
Narinder Kumar Mehra (ICMR National chair and former Dean of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi) in an article in The Hindu has pointed out two important things about Indian population gene and immune system.
First, he said that our population has a broad based immunity due to extensive microbial load. This is because India has been exposed to a vast variety of viruses like Malaria, dengue,TB etc. The extensive usage of drugs for containing these diseases at community level may prove to be beneficial. Because this leads to specific memory T- cells which fight the viruses.
Second, possible role of immune response of gene in Indian population. These genes are known as Human Leukocyte Antigen system or HLA genes. These genes prevent foreign antigens from invading immune system. HLA genes show direction to T-cells so that the T-cells can fight with the virus. There is high diversity in HLA genes in Indian population when compared to the West. Recently there is a clinical study done in China which showed that rapid T-cell response appears to be crucial for recovery from COVID-19.
He also mentions that his theory requires more extensive research.
At last, I would like to conclude that even tough Indians have a better immune system comparative to West, it’s not at all recommended in undermining the power and the rate at which virus is being transmitted. It would be better if government take an additional initiative to make people aware of its dreadfulness along with increase the pace at which testing especially the new antibody tests is being done by hiring the new medical and paramedical staff and organizing the testing camps at various locations to facilitate and government should incentivize (maybe some freebies with less amount) the testing.
-ANJAN KUMAR & VISHAL SV
(Opinion expressed by the author is his personal. The Generalist Insights take no responsibility of the opinion expressed.)
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