TOKYO: The proportion of people with COVID-19 antibodies in Japan has risen to 42.3 pct, up sharply from 26.5 pct in November last year, a survey released by the health ministry Monday showed.

The latest survey was conducted on Feb. 19-27, when the country was in its eighth infection wave, with analysis of blood samples collected from about 13,000 people aged between 16 and 69, who were blood donors.

By prefecture, the proportion was highest in Fukuoka, at 59.4 pct, up sharply from 29.2 pct in the previous survey in November, and exceeding the 58.0 pct marked in Okinawa, which had the highest rate in the previous survey, at 46.6 pct.

Four other prefectures also had readings above 50 pct–52.5 pct in Saga, 51.8 pct in Aichi, 51.5 pct in Kagoshima and 50.2 pct in Osaka.

The rate was lowest in Iwate, at 27.4 pct, followed by Fukushima, at 31.7 pct, Niigata, at 33.5 pct, and Yamanashi and Nagano, at 34.9 pct each.

The survey also found that the rate tends to be lower among elderly people than it is young people. The rate was highest among people aged between 16 and 19, at 62.2 pct, compared with 28.3 pct among people in their 60s.

JIJI Press