The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that less than 10 per cent of the global population have antibodies to the coronavirus, WHO Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathan said.

"Less than 10 per cent of the world's population actually has antibodies to this virus. Of course in some settings, like particularly in the very high-density urban settlements, there are pockets where 50, 60 per cent of the population has been exposed to the virus and has antibodies," Swaminathan said in a Sunday interview, released on the official WHO Twitter handle.