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Seroprevalence of SARS-COV-2 infection in the general population of Nepal during the first and second generalized waves of the COVID-19 pandemic -2020-2021
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  • Krishna Paudel,
  • Reuben Samuel,
  • Runa Jha,
  • Basudev Pandey,
  • Chathura Edirisuriya ,
  • Nebin Shrestha,
  • Pradip Gyawali,
  • Amrit Pokhrel,
  • Lilee Shrestha,
  • Ram Mahato,
  • Shaik Hossain,
  • Govindakarnavar Arunkumar,
  • Anindya Bose,
  • Meghnath Dhimal,
  • Dipendra Gautam,
  • Subash Neupane,
  • Nishant Thakur,
  • Saugat Shrestha,
  • Nirajan Bhusal,
  • Priya Jha,
  • Binod Gupta,
  • Rajan Rayamajhi,
  • Koshal Subedee,
  • Shashi Kandel,
  • Mukesh Poudel,
  • Lila Thapa,
  • Guna Sharma,
  • Allison Gocotano,
  • Avinash Sunny,
  • Rabin Gautam,
  • Deepak Bhatta,
  • Balkrishna Awal,
  • Bhola Rokha,
  • Hemant Ohja,
  • Phanindra Baral,
  • Mahendra Adhikari,
  • Guna Lohani,
  • Mahendra Shrestha,
  • Dipendra Singh,
  • Jos Vandelaer,
  • Laxman Aryal,
  • Rajesh Pandav,
  • Roshan Pokhrel
Krishna Paudel
Ministry of Health and Population Department of Health Services

Corresponding Author:kpkalyan@gmail.com

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Reuben Samuel
World Health Organization Regional Office for South-East Asia
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Runa Jha
Ministry of Health and Population Department of Health Services
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Basudev Pandey
Ministry of Health and Population Department of Health Services
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Chathura Edirisuriya
World Health Organisation Nepal
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Nebin Shrestha
Government of Nepal Central Bureau of Statistics
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Pradip Gyawali
Government of Nepal Ministry of Health and Population
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Amrit Pokhrel
Ministry of Health and Population Department of Health Services
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Lilee Shrestha
Ministry of Health and Population Department of Health Services
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Ram Mahato
Ministry of Health and Population Department of Health Services
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Shaik Hossain
World Health Organisation Nepal
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Govindakarnavar Arunkumar
World Health Organisation Nepal
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Anindya Bose
World Health Organization
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Meghnath Dhimal
Ministry of Health and Population Department of Health Services
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Dipendra Gautam
World Health Organisation Nepal
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Subash Neupane
World Health Organisation Nepal
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Nishant Thakur
World Health Organisation Nepal
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Saugat Shrestha
World Health Organisation Nepal
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Nirajan Bhusal
World Health Organisation Nepal
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Priya Jha
World Health Organisation Nepal
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Binod Gupta
World Health Organisation Nepal
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Rajan Rayamajhi
World Health Organisation Nepal
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Koshal Subedee
Government of Nepal Ministry of Health and Population
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Shashi Kandel
Ministry of Health and Population Department of Health Services
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Mukesh Poudel
Ministry of Health and Population Department of Health Services
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Lila Thapa
Ministry of Health and Population Department of Health Services
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Guna Sharma
Government of Nepal Ministry of Health and Population
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Allison Gocotano
World Health Organisation Nepal
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Avinash Sunny
World Health Organisation Nepal
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Rabin Gautam
World Health Organisation Nepal
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Deepak Bhatta
Ministry of Health and Population Department of Health Services
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Balkrishna Awal
Ministry of Health and Population Department of Health Services
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Bhola Rokha
Ministry of Health and Population Department of Health Services
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Hemant Ohja
Ministry of Health and Population Department of Health Services
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Phanindra Baral
Ministry of Health and Population Department of Health Services
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Mahendra Adhikari
Ministry of Health and Population Department of Health Services
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Guna Lohani
Government of Nepal Ministry of Health and Population
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Mahendra Shrestha
Government of Nepal Ministry of Health and Population
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Dipendra Singh
Ministry of Health and Population Department of Health Services
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Jos Vandelaer
World Health Organisation Nepal
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Laxman Aryal
Government of Nepal Ministry of Health and Population
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Rajesh Pandav
World Health Organisation Nepal
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Roshan Pokhrel
Government of Nepal Ministry of Health and Population
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Abstract

Few seroprevalence studies were performed on coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Nepal. Here, we aimed to estimate seroprevalence and assess risk factors for infection in the general population of Nepal by conducting two rounds of sampling. The first round in October 2020 at the peak of the first generalized wave of COVID-19 and the second round in July-August 2021 following the peak of the wave caused by the delta variant of SARS-COV-2. We used cross-sectional probability-to-size (PPS)-based multistage cluster sampling to estimate the seroprevalence in the general population of Nepal at the national and provincial levels. We tested for the presence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 total antibody using the WANTAI SARS-CoV-2 Ab ELISA kit. In Round 1, the overall national seroprevalence was 14.4%, with provincial estimates ranging from 5.3% in Sudurpaschim to 27.3% in Madesh province. In Round 2, the estimated national seroprevalence was 70.7%, with the highest estimated seroprevalence in Madesh Province (84.8%) and the lowest in the Gandaki Province (62.9%). Seroprevalence was comparable between males and females (Round 1, 15.8% vs 12.2% and Round 2, 72.3% vs. 68.7%). The seroprevalence in the ecozones—terai, hills, and mountains—was 76.3%, 65.3%, and 60.5% in Round 2 and 17.7%, 11.7%, and 4.6% in Round 1, respectively. In Nepal, COVID-19 vaccination was introduced in January, 2021. At the peak of the first generalized wave of COVID-19, most of the population of Nepal remained unexposed to SARS-COV-2 and towards the end of the second generalized wave in April 2021, two-thirds of the population was exposed.
12 Jul 2023Submitted to Influenza and other respiratory viruses
17 Jul 2023Submission Checks Completed
17 Jul 2023Assigned to Editor
18 Jul 2023Reviewer(s) Assigned
31 Aug 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
05 Oct 2023Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
04 Nov 20231st Revision Received
08 Nov 2023Submission Checks Completed
08 Nov 2023Assigned to Editor
08 Nov 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
20 Nov 2023Editorial Decision: Accept