TOKYO >> Only 0.1% of people in Tokyo have developed antibodies against the new coronavirus, and percentages in Osaka and Miyagi prefectures are also low, the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry announced Monday.

The ministry conducted antibody tests on a total of 7,950 people in the three areas from June 1 to 7 to get percentages on how many people have been infected with the coronavirus. The results showed that 0.1% of people in Tokyo and 0.17% in Osaka Prefecture had been infected. This indicates that even in regions where infections were widespread, few people have antibodies against the virus.

In Miyagi Prefecture, where the number of cases has been low, the percentage was 0.03%.

Antibodies protect the body from viruses and other infecting agents, and tests can indicate that a person has been infected with a disease.

To obtain more accurate results, two kinds of reagents were used in the tests, and only people who were confirmed positive with both the reagents were counted as having antibodies.

It is not clear whether the antibodies can protect against reinfection.

Japan’s National Institute of Infectious Diseases will further examine test results.