For months, researchers have believed that the prevalence of COVID-19 had been underestimated since individuals with few to no symptoms were rarely tested.
According to results from a recent study at UCI, COVID-19 infections in Orange County were seven times higher than previously identified.
In Irvine, this means that the 2,058 reported COVID-19 cases represents closer to 15,000 actual COVID-19 infections.
Testing a representative sample of Orange County residents for a wide range of coronavirus antibodies, the study found that 11.5 percent of them have antibodies for COVID-19, in contrast to previous estimates of less than 2 percent.
The study included both a truly representative sample and tested for a wide array of viral antibodies, which produced an accurate picture of the disease’s prevalence in Orange County.
Researchers say that the study demonstrates that while a significant number of the County’s residents were already exposed and developed antibodies to COVID-19, much of the County still remains vulnerable to the virus.
To read more about the UCI study and its findings, click here.
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