Country’s INSACOG labs release initial results of Genome sequencing of mutant variant of SARS-CoV-2
Solution World Bureau
New Delhi, Dec 29: Six persons, who recently returned from UK, have been found to be positive with the new UK variant genome of Coronavirus.
The Government of India (GoI) said on Tuesday morning hat all these persons have been kept in single room isolation in designated Health Care facilities by respective state governments. Their close contacts have also been put under quarantine. Comprehensive contact tracing has been initiated for co-travellers, family contacts and others. Genome sequencing on other specimens is going on.
The situation is under careful watch and regular advice is being provided to the States for enhanced surveillance, containment, testing & dispatch of samples to INSACOG labs.
Notably, the presence of the new UK Variant has already been reported by Denmark, Netherlands, Australia, Italy, Sweden, France, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Canada, Japan, Lebanon and Singapore, so far.
The GoI took cognizance of the reports of mutant variant of SARS- CoV-2 virus reported from UK and put in place a pro-active and preventive strategy to detect and contain the mutant variant.
This strategy includes, but is not limited to, the following steps:-
–Temporary suspension of all flights coming from UK with effect from the midnight of 23rd December 2020 till 31stDecember 2020.
–Mandatory testing of all UK returnee air passengers through RT-PCR test. The samples of all UK returnees found positive in RT-PCR test to be genome sequenced by a consortium of 10 govt. labs i.e. INSACOG.
–Meeting of the National Task Force (NTF) on Covid-19 on 26th December 2020 to consider and recommend Testing, Treatment, Surveillance and Containment Strategy.
–Standard Operating Protocol for States/UTs to tackle the mutant variant of SARS-CoV-2 issued on December 22.
The entire issue was examined at length by NTF on December 26 and the NTF concluded that there is no need to change either the existing National Treatment Protocol or existing Testing Protocols in view of the mutant variant. NTF also recommended that in addition to the existing surveillance strategy, it is critical to conduct enhanced genomic surveillance.
From November 25 to December 23 midnight, about 33,000 passengers disembarked at various Indian airports from UK. All these passengers are being tracked and subjected by all states/UTs to RT-PCR tests. So far only 114 have been found positive. These positive samples have been sent to 10 INSACOG labs (National Institute of Biomedical Genomics (NIBMG) Kolkata, Institute of Life Sciences (ILS) Bhubaneswar, National Institute of Virology (NIV) Pune, College of Computer Sciences (CCS) Pune, Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CCMB) Hyderabad, Institute For Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine (InSTEM) Bengaluru, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS) Bengaluru, Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB) Delhi, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Delhi) for genome sequencing.
A total of six samples of six UK returnee persons have been found to be positive with the new UK variant genome. These include three in NIMHANS, Bengaluru, two in CCMB, Hyderabad and one in NIV, Pune.
The new variant of covid 19 found in some people who have recently come from U K is a matter of grave concern. However timely action by the GOI may help in containing further article. Nice article sir.