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Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the craft and manual worker population of Qatar

By Mohamed H. Al-Thani, Elmoubasher Farag, Roberto Bertollini, Hamad Eid Al-Romaihi, Sami Abdeen, Ashraf Abdelkarim, Faisal Daraan, Ahmed Ismail, Nahid Mostafa, Mohamed Sahl, Jinan Suliman, Elias Tayar, Hasan Ali Kasem, Meynard J. A. Agsalog, Bassam K. Akkarathodiyil, Ayat A. Alkhalaf, Mohamed Morhaf M. H. Alakshar, Abdulsalam Ali A. H. Al-Qahtani, Monther H. A. Al-Shedifat, Anas Ansari, Ahmad Ali Ataalla, Sandeep Chougule, Abhilash K. K. V. Gopinathan, Feroz J. Poolakundan, Sanjay U. Ranbhise, Saed M. A. Saefan, Mohamed M. Thaivalappil, Abubacker S. Thoyalil, Inayath M. Umar, Zaina Al-Kanaani, Abdullatif Al Khal, Einas Al-Kuwari, Adeel A Butt, Peter V. Coyle, Andrew Jeremijenko, Anvar Hassan Kaleeckal, Ali Nizar Latif, Riyazuddin Mohammad Shaik, Hanan F. Abdul-Rahim, HADI M. YASSINE, Gheyath Nasrallah, Mohamed G. Al Kuwari, Odette Chaghoury, Hiam Chemaitelly, Laith J Abu-Raddad

Posted 24 Nov 2020
medRxiv DOI: 10.1101/2020.11.24.20237719

Background: Qatar experienced a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) epidemic that disproportionately affected the craft and manual worker (CMW) population who comprise 60% of the total population. This study aimed to assess the proportions of ever and/or current infection in this population. Methods: A cross-sectional population-based survey was conducted during July 26-September 09, 2020 to assess both anti-SARS-CoV-2 positivity through serological testing and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positivity through PCR testing. Associations with antibody and PCR positivity were identified through regression analyses. Results: Study included 2,641 participants, 69.3% of whom were <40 years of age. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 positivity was estimated at 55.3% (95% CI: 53.3-57.3%) and was significantly associated with nationality, geographic location, educational attainment, occupation, presence of symptoms in the two weeks preceding the survey, and previous infection diagnosis. PCR positivity was assessed at 11.3% (95% CI: 9.9-12.8%) and was significantly associated with geographic location, contact with an infected person, and reporting two or more symptoms. Infection positivity (antibody and/or PCR positive) was assessed at 60.6% (95% CI: 9.9-12.8%). The proportion of antibody-positive CMWs that had a prior SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis was 9.3% (95% CI: 7.9-11.0%). Only seven infections were ever severe and one was ever critical - an infection severity rate of 0.5% (95% CI: 0.2-1.0%). Conclusions: Six in every 10 CMWs have been infected, suggestive of reaching the herd immunity threshold. Infection severity was low with only one in every 200 infections progressing to be severe or critical. Only one in every 10 infections had been previously diagnosed suggestive of mostly asymptomatic or minimally mild infections.

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