Bhopal: When Omicron is raging and the new Covid variant is a clear and present danger, Madhya Pradesh has been lagging on intentionally in sequencing genomes – he has a genome report of only 0.3% of Covid 8-Lakh-Plus patients.
It flew against government claims that they sent at least 5% samples for testing genomes.
MP reported the first Covid case on March 20, 2020.
More than 650 days, 8 cases of Lakh Covid and more than 10,500 deaths later, the genome report was still in the pipe and not online at Madhya Pradesh.
Even now, the administration is very kegagey about giving numbers.
How many samples are delayed with the center of national central disease? Health officials do not offer answers.
The genome sequencing test report is only 2,527 covid patients in MP available with the Ministry of Health, said the high source to TOI.
Most patients in MP do not know which variants have infected them, also medical experts cannot judge how the extent of certain variants.
This is a major defect in formulating strategies to load and manage deployment.
When the report comes, it takes weeks when it’s not a necessary knowledge.
Going with Insacog data, analysis of surveillance genomes known as 1,805 cases until September in MP.
The health department said he had received an analysis of the Genom Surveillance for 2,527 covid patients.
Omicron is determined to be a variant that is a concern in November.
There is time to improve the genome testing facility in MP before the third wave hit.
Nearly three months, the sample still has to be sent to NCDC for the genome sequencing.
The genome surveillance has been done only at 722 covid samples in MP since October.
Ten of this became positive for Omicron.
Hundreds of reports are waiting.
How exactly? Health officials will not or cannot say.
Sagar Medical College has reported four recent deaths, and medical experts are not sure that all these cases are omicron or delta variants.
“The last genome sequencing report we received was in December.
Recently a 60-year-old man died and his death had not been associated with Covid.
He has all the classical symptoms of Covid but is tested negatively,” said the doctor, who did not ask to be named after, Hope they have a genome report.
MP Directorate of Medical Education (DME) realizes the urgency to start testing genomes in the state.
At least two laboratories in Bhopal can immediately start testing, but waiting for other reagents and inventory.
ICMR is a nodal agent for procurement.
DME recently announced setting five labs for testing genomes.
The question is, will it come soon?