Mutant Covid virus: Samples of UK positive cases to undergo genome sequencing study

New Delhi, Dec 22 : The Union Heath Ministry has asked state governments to send the samples of the passengers who tested positive on arrival from the UK to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune or any other appropriate lab for genome sequencing study.
The genome sequencing study would determine if the COVID patients are carrying the existing strain of SARS-CoV-2 or the mutant strain which was discovered in the UK’s population.
If the samples indicate the presence of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2, the patient will continue to remain in a separate isolation unit while necessary treatment as per the existing protocol will be given, the health ministry stated.
“The patient shall be tested on the 14th day, after having tested positive in the initial test. In case the sample is found positive on the 14th day, further samples may be taken until the two consecutive samples taken 24 hours apart are tested negative,” the ministry informed.
The ministry has also asked the Bureau of Immigration (BOI) to share the list of flights from the UK which landed at various international airports in India between November 25 to December 23 with respective state governments for the surveillance.
The health ministry has also issued updated Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for epidemiological surveillance and response in the context of the new variant of SARS-CoV-2 virus detected in the UK.