Mumbai: To check whether the omicron variant is responsible for sudden waves in cases in Mumbai, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will send all covid positive samples until December 31 for gene sequencing.
The only warning is that positive covid samples must have a viral load less than 25.
“We also have a little more than 300 samples because it is a sequencer gene capacity,” said BMC Commissioner Municipal Suresh Kakani.
On Sunday between December 19 and December 25, Mumbai daily Kaseload increased from 190 to 731 cases, triggering suspicion of the transmission of omicron society.
BMC hence plans to carry out the sequencing of the genome for samples collected between December 21 and 31 to determine if Omicron is present in the community, with the belief that it is only connected with international travel.
At present, the sequencing of genes is the best method for checking variants in circulation.
“We have done a continuous gene sequencing since August and lately found the omicron variant in the sample.
But the amount is still not so big that it must trigger a surge in case,” Kakani said.
The last two sequencing exercises in the BMC laboratory in the Kasbba Hospital complex showed 2% Omicron, while the majority were Delta Derivatives and Delta.
Sequencing genes are not instant tests and the results can take between three and five days.
BMC officials say there will be no backlog because some steps are needed before the sample is included in the gene sequencer.
“Working on pre-sequencing will begin for some samples while others are included in the sequencer,” said an official.
Dr.
Shashank Joshi, who is a member of the state government assignment unit in Covid-19, said there was a need to improve testing genomes for Combating a surge in daily load recently.
“We must open the private sector also to carry out the sequencing of the genome, so that we can do the right public health measures,” added Dr.
Joshi.