New Delhi: A total of 38 samples have been found to be positive with the new UK variant genome of Coronavirus in India, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, stated here today.
If these samples, 10 were found in The National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, three in The Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad, five in National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, 11 in Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), Delhi, 8 in The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), New Delhi and 1 in NCBG, Kolkata.
There were no cases of UK mutant virus were so far found at The National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), and Institute For Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine (InSTEM), (both based in Bengaluru), The Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD) Hyderabad, Institute of Life Sciences (ILS) Bhubaneswar, and The National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS) Pune.
The Ministry said the positive samples were being tested at 10 Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomic Consortia (INSACOG) laboratories – (NIBMG Kolkata, ILS Bhubaneswar, NIV Pune, NCCS Pune, CCMB Hyderabad, CDFD Hyderabad, InSTEM Bengaluru, NIMHANS Bengaluru, IGIB Delhi, NCDC Delhi) – for genome sequencing.
“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 statement said, adding, “The situation is under careful watch and regular advice is being provided to the States for enhanced surveillance, containment, testing and dispatch of samples to INSACOG labs.”
– global bihari bureau
