A test of over 14,000 blood samples in Taipei has found that eleven of them had COVID-19 antibodies. That was the word from Taipei Veterans General Hospital on Wednesday.
The hospital tested leftover blood from over 14,000 samples. The samples were taken from people 20 and older during May and July. If the proportion of people with antibodies found in the study was extended to cover the general population, it would mean that 11,800 people in Taiwan have COVID-19 antibodies. Health officials say, however, that since this was not a survey of the general population, a specific rate of antibodies cannot be determined.
The Central Epidemic Command Center says this study shows that Taiwan has been successful in its containment of COVID-19. That’s because only eleven out of the 14,000 tested were positive for antibodies.
The center said that due to the limited data, it is not possible to tell if the people with these antibodies were confirmed COVID-19 cases or contacts of those who have the disease. It is also unknown whether they developed these antibodies in Taiwan or while overseas.