Insta
Boosting Genome Sequencing For Sars-CoV-2: India To Add 17 New Laboratories To The Insacog Network
Swarajya Staff
May 18, 2021, 02:16 PM | Updated 02:15 PM IST
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Boosting genome sequencing for Sars-CoV-2, India is set to add 17 new laboratories to the network of Indian Sars-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (Insacog), reports Economic Times.
The addition of 17 new laboratories would increase the screening of samples from States and international travellers for better study of the spread and mutations of the virus and more spatial analysis of the same.
It should be noted that Insacog was established on 18 January as a collaborative partnership between the Government of India’s Department of Biotechnology and the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).
As of now, Insacog has 10 laboratories operating under its network across the country. The decision to add 17 more laboratories was announced by Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan during a meeting of the group of ministers on Covid-19.
When Insacog had been established, The MoHFW had said that these laboratories would test five per cent of the positive samples from all the States and international travellers. As of now, the actual number of samples screened by Insacog laboratories is much lower.
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Introducing ElectionsHQ + 50 Ground Reports Project
The 2024 elections might seem easy to guess, but there are some important questions that shouldn't be missed.
Do freebies still sway voters? Do people prioritise infrastructure when voting? How will Punjab vote?
The answers to these questions provide great insights into where we, as a country, are headed in the years to come.
Swarajya is starting a project with an aim to do 50 solid ground stories and a smart commentary service on WhatsApp, a one-of-a-kind. We'd love your support during this election season.
Click below to contribute.