Authorities in northern Italy have begun testing health workers for antibodies that may help identify individuals with immunity to the coronavirus as they look for ways to ease the lockdown imposed a month ago to contain the epidemic.
A woman uses an exercise bike on her balcony, as the spread of the coronavirus disease continues, in Milan, Italy April 6, 2020. REUTERS/Daniele Mascolo
Following an initial phase of testing on 2,000-3,000 health workers, tests are to be extended to staff and residents in nursing homes and workers in contact with the public. The total number of confirmed cases increased by just 3,599 on Monday to 132,547, the lowest daily rise since March 17, while the number of deaths rose 636 to 16,523 - just under a quarter of all the fatalities registered so far in the world.
The tests, which look for antibodies produced by the immune system in response to the illness, are simpler than the swab tests on mucus used to find the virus itself, but there is some doubt about whether they can yield reliable results.
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