Lucknow: CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) has developed an original RT-PCR diagnostic kit, ‘OM’, for the testing of the Omicron variant of Coronavirus.
This is the first kit made by any government institution, and the third is made permanently, for omicron special testing.
At present, two other kits developed by private players are available on the market.
After receiving a learned of the Council of Indian Medical Research (ICMR), it will be launched in the second week of February.
A team of three scientists, led by Senior Principal Scientists Atul Goel and four undergraduate research, has made a kit within two months that will cost around Rs 150.
Kit will provide test results in about two hours.
‘OM’ has been tested and validated by the head, the Department of Microbiology, Prof.
Amita Jain from the Medical University of King George.
“The biggest benefit of the kit is that the patient will realize if he is infected with omicron or delta.
If someone is infected by Omicron, he will not panic because this variant is lighter than Delta,” said Senior Principal Scientist at Will Goel.
“When Coronavirus continues to mutate, the diagnosis and treatment of different variants becomes difficult.
Omikron, even though the symptoms are lighter, are super spreaders and swallow the world such as fire.
This can be controlled if it is identified on time with this kit use,” he added.
Niti Kumar’s main scientist said, “Om will help in the omicron detection that is fast and cost-effective compared to the genome sequencing.” Other major scientists, Ashish Arora, said: “This technology can be aligned to detect other Covid infection variants that arise and other respiratory infections.” CDRI Director Tapas Kundu said, “Our scientists have succeeded in developing indicov-om for special omicron detection.
We are one of the few specific kits around the world for omicron detection.
Most of the kits do not confirm Omicron, therefore, this kit will be very help.
“