New Delhi – In a situation where the spread of Covid-19 continues to scare China and new cases are being reported in the United States, the Center has instructed to be ready to face any situation. The Ministry of Health has written to all states to increase the sequencing of the genomes of positive cases.
“There has been a sharp rise in Covid cases in the US, Japan, Korea, Brazil and China. In this case, genome sequencing of positive cases should be increased. These should be monitored by the Indian SARS-CoV2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG). That way we can know if new variations are coming in the country. If necessary, these will be used to take public health measures,” said Rajesh Bhushan, secretary of the Ministry of Health.
Insacog is a network of more than 50 laboratories in India. They monitor genetic variation in covid cases. A technique called genome sequencing is used to identify the characteristics of new virus variants. The Center has also directed that samples from all positive cases be sent to INSACOG.
The Center estimates that 35 lakh people are confirmed to be infected with Covid-19 globally every week. 112 covid cases were reported in India this morning. According to the figures released by the Ministry of Health, the number of active cases is 3,490.
English Summary: Center’s Latest Move to Track Covid Variations As Outbreaks Rise In China, US
