13 May 2020 – ENECovid19 study shows 5% of population developed antibodies against COVID-19

Type of Intervention: Specific Action
Sectors Involved: Health, Research and Development
Intervention Categories: Research and development
Level of Jurisdiction: National
Lead People/Agency: Ministry of Health and Ministry of Science and Innovation

Overview: Preliminary findings of ENECovid19 study show that 5% of population developed antibodies against COVID-19
The Minister for Health, Salvador Illa, presented, together with the Minister for Science and Innovation, Pedro Duque, the main provisional results from the national epidemiology study ENECovid19, corresponding to the first of three waves that make up the study. Due to the size of the sample, this is one of the most ambitious studies with these characteristics in the world. According to the initial conclusions, the prevalence of IgG antibodies against SARS-Cov-2 in the population stands at 5%, at a very similar level between men and women. It is lower among babies, children and young people, and is quite stable in older age groups.
Furthermore, 87% of the referred participants that had tested positive in the PCR test presented IgG antibodies. In the potentially suspicious cases, the prevalence increases with the number of symptoms. It was particularly high – at 43% – in people with anosmia (total loss of smell). Finally, 2.5% of participants who showed no symptoms had developed IgG antibodies.
By autonomous region, there is a marked geographic variability. Accordingly, Ceuta, Murcia, Melilla, Asturias and the Canary Islands showed a prevalence of less than 2%, while the Region of Madrid and Castile-La Mancha, exceeded 10%. On the map of provinces, the central group of provinces stood out with a prevalence equal to or close to 10% in the area around Madrid.
Furthermore, the map of potentially suspicious COVID-19 cases (people with three of more symptoms or a total loss of smell) also stood out in this central area of Spain, with a prevalence of close to 20%, although equally high values were also recorded in some other provinces.

Full details here: https://www.mscbs.gob.es/ciudadanos/ene-covid/docs/ESTUDIO_ENE-COVID19_PRIMERA_RONDA_INFORME_PRELIMINAR.pdf

Type of Justification: Scientific Evidence (e.g. academic paper, report)
Source of Evidence or Justification: National – academic, National – government