New Zealand has a strategy of eliminating SARS-CoV-2 that has resulted in a low incidence of reported coronavirus-19 disease (COVID-19). The aim of this study was to describe the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in New Zealand via a nationwide serosurvey of blood donors. Samples ( n = 9806) were collected over a month-long period (3 December 2020–6 January 2021) from donors aged 16–88 years. The sample population was geographically spread, covering 16 of 20 district health board regions. A series of Spike-based immunoassays were utilised, and the serological testing algorithm was optimised for specificity given New Zealand is a low prevalence setting. Eighteen samples were seropositive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, six of which were retrospectively matched to previously confirmed COVID-19 cases. A further four were from donors that travelled to settings with a high risk of SARS-CoV-2 exposure, suggesting likely infection outside New Zealand. The remaining eight seropositive samples were from seven different district health regions for a true seroprevalence estimate, adjusted for test sensitivity and specificity, of 0.103% (95% confidence interval, 0.09–0.12%). The very low seroprevalence is consistent with limited undetected community transmission and provides robust, serological evidence to support New Zealand’s successful elimination strategy for COVID-19.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, spike, Seroprevalence, Elimination, Receptor binding domain, Serosurvey, New Zealand, 【초록키워드】 Infection, Spread, Prevalence, immunoassay, specificity, Blood donors, Region, Health, SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, Serological testing, Sensitivity and specificity, Algorithm, community transmission, incidence, disease, seropositive, Donor, COVID-19 cases, high risk, Support, 95% confidence interval, serological evidence, regions, robust, Seven, collected, Sample, reported, eight, adjusted, provide, eliminating, New, utilised, seropositive sample, 【제목키워드】 blood donor, New,