A genome sequencing laboratory to detect variants of the coronavirus is prone to turn out to be operational within the first week of July at Lok Nayak Hospital, whereas the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) will begin sequencing a small variety of samples, hospital officers mentioned. prepared for. .
As a part of Delhi’s preparedness for a potential third Covid wave, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal introduced earlier this month that two genome sequencing laboratories had been being arrange at Lok Nayak Hospital and ILBS.
The unfold of the Delta Plus variant, labeled because the ‘Version of Concern’ by the Union Health Ministry, is at present below investigation within the nation. So far, the variant has been detected in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Punjab, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Jammu, Karnataka and Haryana.
Dr Suresh Kumar, Medical Director, Lok Nayak Hospital mentioned that the work of coaching personnel to do genome sequencing is underway within the hospital. “We are planning to operationalize the laboratory in the first week of July. The gene sequencing machine has been imported from Singapore and training on its use is underway. We already have several ICMR projects on molecular work happening in the hospital and PhD students, so we have personnel to do the sequencing,” he mentioned.
Emphasizing the significance of genome sequencing within the present battle in opposition to COVID-19, ILBS Director Dr SK Sarin mentioned, “The most important thing will be genome surveillance as the virus is likely to mutate at a very fast rate, and while the UK sequence is 30 % of COVID samples, we sequence less than 5%.ILBS is one of the regional laboratories of INSACOG (Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomic Consortia) monitoring genome sequencing in India and also for Delhi Government We have some sequencing facilities for some other projects, we have bio-informatic capabilities, and can start in a small way in two-three days after getting samples from the government, maybe 10- per week for now. 20. However, we need to be prepared for larger sample sizes.”
He mentioned that the Delhi authorities is at present within the means of accumulating samples for sequencing from completely different areas of the capital.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
