Even in places that were considered hotspots during the first corona wave, only a fraction of the population is likely to be infected. This is supported by the results of an antibody study from copper cells in Baden-Württemberg, which the Robert Koch Institute has now presented.
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In the town with around 6,000 inhabitants, the corona virus spread rapidly after a church concert in early March, and it became to one of the first local hotspots in Germany. More than 80 infections were reported within just under two weeks. However, by consistently following up the contacts, it was possible to contain the outbreak again. To date, the number of confirmed cases in the community has risen to 117.
For the study, employees of the Robert Koch Institute interviewed more than 2,200 adult residents from copper cells between the end of May and the beginning of June, took a throat swab and took blood. The samples were then examined in the laboratory for acute or past Sars-CoV-2 infections.
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The results in detail:
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Of the citizens examined, the researchers were able to contribute 7.7 percent antibody prove. “That is not enough to prevent a second wave,” said Lars Schaade, Vice President of the Robert Koch Institute, at a press conference. This applies even if all citizens were protected from further infection by the antibodies. It is not yet clear whether this is the case.
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Around a sixth of the infections (16.8 percent) ran symptomlos. In a questionnaire, those affected reported neither fever nor other typical complaints such as sore throat, runny nose, loss of smell or taste.
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The number of infections recorded by the study is significantly higher than the number of previously known cases. According to the tests, almost four times more people were infected in Kupferzell than were previously known to be infected. So that lies Dark figure however, significantly lower than in many studies from other countries.
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Conversely, however, the researchers were able to find just under 30 percent of those who tested positive during the outbreak detect no antibodies. The study thus coincides with other studies, according to which the antibodies can quickly disappear again in some infected people. “But that does not necessarily mean that there is no immunity,” said Claudia Santos-Hövener, head of the study, from the Robert Koch Institute.
Kupferzell is only the first of a total of four particularly affected locations in Germany whose residents are being examined for antibodies by researchers from the Robert Koch Institute. Second is the community of Bad Feilnbach in the Rosenheim district, the third is Straubing in Bavaria. The fourth has not yet been announced.
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With the help of the participants, future examinations should also analyze the long-term consequences of Covid-19. Separate studies with children are also ongoing.
“We can’t let development continue like this”
Researchers in Germany had already presented the result of an antibody study, the so-called Heinsberg study, in May. At that time, residents of the also particularly affected community of Gangelt in North Rhine-Westphalia were examined. According to the result, could be in the place infected five times more people than were known to be infected.
However, the researchers only detected antibodies in their investigation and did not carry out neutralization tests, which are less prone to false results. For this reason, it is conceivable that the number of Sars-CoV-2 infected people in the study was overestimated, writes the Robert Koch Institute in one Description of his current investigation.
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In addition to presenting the study results, RKI Vice President Schaade also spoke about the current situation in Germany. He described the increasing number of infections as a serious and worrying development. “We can’t let development go on like this,” he said. “We threaten to lose control.”
To avert this, people would have to keep their distance, follow the hygiene rules, get tested if they have complaints and avoid unnecessary trips. The current results from Kupferzell also show that this is working, according to Schaade.
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