JAIPUR: Rajasthan has become the first state in the country to start a genome sequencing facility.
Meanwhile, following the detection of Delta+ variant of Covid in three states, the health department had enhanced surveillance across the state.
Health minister Raghu Sharma said for the prevention and control of Covid in the state, the genome sequencing lab has been set at Sawai Man Singh Hospital.
“Through genome sequencing, we will come to know about the new variant of Covid circulating in the state,” said Sharma.
State government has spent Rs 1 crore on developing the genome sequencing facility at SMS Hospital.
Till now, the state government had to send the samples to IGIB lab in Delhi, which was allocated to the state by Indian Council of Medical Research for genome sequencing.
Sharma said earlier they were sending 300 samples from the state to IGIB, but the state was not receiving the test reports on time.
The state’s genome sequencing lab has started functioning from June 15.
The machine has a capacity of conducting genome sequencing of 20 samples daily, but soon its capacity will be increased to 80.
It takes 3 to 4 days in getting report of a sample sent for genome sequencing.
Sharma said 100 samples had been tested at the lab and out of those, 90 have tested positive for Delta variant.
The rest have tested positive for B1.1 variant.
Officials said no case of Delta + has been found in the state.
“So far, not a single case of Delta+ variant has been found in the state.
But, we are alert on it,” said a senior health department official.
Union health ministry had alerted and advised Maharashtra, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh regarding Delta+ variant after it was found in some districts of these states.