J Korean Med Sci.  2020 Aug;35(33):e311. 10.3346/jkms.2020.35.e311.

Seroprevalence of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies among Outpatients in Southwestern Seoul, Korea

Affiliations
  • 1Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
  • 2Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon, Korea
  • 3Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon, Korea
  • 4Department of Laboratory Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
  • 5Korea National Institute of Health, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cheongju, Korea

Abstract

Serosurveillance studies reveal the actual disease burden and herd immunity level in the population. In Seoul, Korea, a cross-sectional investigation showed 0.07% anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 antibody seropositivity among 1,500 outpatients of the university hospitals. Low seroprevalence reflects well-implemented social distancing. Serosurveillance should be repeated as the pandemic progresses.

Keyword

Seroprevalence; Seroepidemiology; SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19

Figure

  • Fig. 1 Map of study site with study hospitals marked in blue. Sites of clusters of coronavirus disease outbreaks near the study hospitals are shown in red: ⓐ sports club, ⓑ call center, ⓒ church, ⓓ distribution center. The COVID-19 outbreak in a sport club (ⓐ) was detected on Jun 5, 2020, and visitors at the sport club from May 28 to June 2, 2020 were investigated. A call center (ⓑ) outbreak was first detected on March 9, 2020. Outbreak in a church (ⓒ) was detected on March 26, 2020 and outbreak at the distribution center (ⓓ) was detected on May 25, 2020.

  • Fig. 2 Number of cases of coronavirus disease as of July 3, 2020 in Korea. Study samples were collected from May 25 to May 29, 2020 (indicated with an arrow).


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