With rising covid cases in China, Govt begins a strict monitor on COVID cases in India

As a substantial rise has been reported in COVID-19 cases world including China, the Indian government has also now moved to raise an alert for COVID cases in India

The Union Health Ministry directed all states and UTs to sequence all positive case samples on a daily basis.

As of now the weekly tally has been around 1200 COVID cases in India

“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 Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) network. 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.” Rajesh Bhushan Union Health Secretary said

All states are requested to ensure that as far as possible samples of all positive cases, on a daily basis, are sent to the designated INSACOG Genome Sequencing Laboratories (IGSLs) that are mapped to the States and UTs,” he said.

Currently, the INSACOG network of over 50 laboratories across the country has been sequencing only select samples – positive cases detected among 2% of international passengers tested at random, samples from designated sentinel sites, and samples from any cluster or outbreak in the community, according to the guidelines for surveillance by the Health Ministry. In addition, laboratories have also been testing for viral RNA in the sewage system