Amid global spurt in Covid cases, Centre asks states to increase genome sequencing of positive samples

In a letter to states and UTs, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said such an exercise will enable timely detection of newer variants

Following a sudden rise in Covid-19 cases in China and a few other nations, the Union Health Ministry on Wednesday asked the States to ensure that the maximum possible number of Covid positive samples are sent to the INSACOG laboratories daily for timely tracking of any new variant.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan wrote to the States, urging them to gear up the Covid-19 genome sequencing work to track any new variant through the INSACOG network. The action follows an internal review by top health officials to take stock of the global Covid situation including the massive outbreak in China.

“In view of the sudden spurt of cases being witnessed in Japan, United States of America, Republic of Korea, Brazil and China, it is essential to gear up the whole genome sequencing of positive case samples to track the variants through lndian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACoG) network,” Bhushan wrote.

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“Such an exercise will enable timely detection of newer variants, if any, circulating in the country and will facilitate undertaking of requisite public health measures for the same.”

All states have been asked to ensure that samples of all positive cases, on a daily basis, are sent to the designated INSACOG Genome Sequencing Laboratories (lGSLs) that are mapped to the States.

The new belt-tightening instructions from the Centre comes at a time when a new wave of Covid-19 outbreak is ripping through parts of China two weeks after the communist country suddenly lifted its pandemic-related restrictions.

The USA has warned that the outbreak is now of concern to the rest of the world, given the potential for further mutations and the size of China's economy. There is also a rise in Covid-19 deaths in the USA in recent weeks. "Monitoring the trends of existing variants is of crucial importance," Bhushan wrote.