Two more Covid variants under investigation

India’s genome sequencing consortium INSACOG has completed sequencing of 58,240 samples and is monitoring Covid-19 variants of concern, including Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Delta Plus. There are two more variants under investigation — Kappa and B1617.3 — Dr SK Singh, director of National Centre for Disease Control, said on Tuesday.

The Delta variant is dominant in the country and accounts for 90% of the cases at present. The Delta Plus variant has been detected in 86 samples, 34 of which were from Maharashtra followed by 10 in Tamil Nadu. Four variants are now seen in the Delta Plus category, which did not show any exponential surge in the country, Singh said.

There are 28 laboratories in the INSACOG network that are monitoring the genomic variation, with all states having five laboratories and five tertiary care hospitals each and 277 sentinel sites sending 15 samples a fortnight to INSACOG labs. In July alone, INSACOG received around 8,000 samples.

Singh said the government has directed states and Union Territories to constitute rapid response teams comprising clinicians, microbiologists and a member from a medical college to keep track of mutations and fast-track the process. In case new mutations are detected, these teams will carry out contact tracing, epidemiological investigation, make clinical assessment and take necessary measures.