Amidst the novel coronavirus crisis, this research laboratory at the heart of Bhubaneswar has been in the thick of action. Welcome to Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC), Bhubaneswar, the only research unit of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in Odisha. The Viral Research Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL) of the research unit which is abuzz with round the clock activities since March is driven by a group of women.
A team of around 50 scientists, researchers and technicians trained at the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, are working overtime to handle the virus and its behaviour. Run by a core team of five women scientists, the lab processes nearly 30 per cent samples that the State tests through RT-PCR every day.
The scientists at the forefront are nodal officer of the regional VRDL Dr Jyotirmayee Turuk, Scientist-E Dr Ira Praharaj, Research Scientists Dr Sonalika Rath, Dr Jyotsnamayee Sabat, and Dr Subhra Subhadra besides lab technician Elina Routray, lab attendant Mamta Patro, data entry operator Kalpana Sahoo and lone male scientist Dr Lal Mohan Ho.
Led by Director of RMRC Dr Sanghamitra Pati, credited to be the lead in the first-ever multi-morbidity study in the country, the team is on the job for almost 18 hours a day. From receiving to processing samples and testing to analysing the reports and then disposing of the bio-medical wastes, everything is being done at the lab as per the prescribed protocol.
Though the number of samples getting tested at the lab during the pre-Covid era was around 50 per day and most of which were for swine flu, dengue, hepatitis, and other viral diseases, with the dreaded novel coronavirus spreading its tentacles, the centre is conducting on an average 1,500 to 2,000 tests a day.
Starting from collection of samples to separation, RNA extraction, testing, and reporting – all are being done mostly by women. “Though the lab had handled hundreds of samples during swine flu and Japanese Encephalitis outbreaks in the past, the risk associated with coronavirus is huge. Since it is a new virus and yet to be studied properly, we are treading very cautiously,” said Dr Turuk.
With hundreds of swab samples arriving at the lab every day, the scientists and the technical staff work round the clock in shifts as a positive report takes around eight hours of the test. The lab has tested 2,48,656 samples till October 12 and found 33,180 positive cases.
“We have been working hard to process traditional molecular tests to screen for Covid-19 infections. Though all viruses are treated as dangerous, the coronavirus is potentially dangerous as we were not exposed to it before and no immunity has developed,” said Dr Subhra.
Although everyone is curious about the infectivity of the virus in the winter, a virology research scientist at the lab Dr Sonalika said the SARS CoV2 spread rapidly after the return of migrants from the high virus burden states. “Most of the cases found here are of contacts of the migrants. Though there is no such evidence that climatic condition has a bearing on the virus, it needs more research to come to any conclusion,” she added.
Apart from testing, the lab is also associated with the genomic study of coronavirus, quality testing of samples tested by other labs, and validation of testing kits for both Government and private labs besides the training, hand-holding, and capacity building of lab technicians, microbiologists, consultant microbiologists and data entry operators.
“We used to test 40 to 50 viruses in the lab. From malaria, dengue, hepatitis, JE, and swine flu, the focus has now shifted to coronavirus. Every time we enter the lab, it is like dealing with danger. But we are determined to fight it,” said Dr Sabat, who has been associated with the lab since 2010.
The lab has been entrusted with the sero survey of different localities with high caseload. So far, the survey has been completed in seven locations including Puri, Rourkela, Berhampur, Badamba-Narasinghapur, Paralakhemundi, Malkangiri and Bhubaneswar, whilw the survey is in the offing in five other locations.
“When the entire world was scared of the virus, our women scientists and researchers took up the cudgels and fought the virus from the front. They have gone a long way and proved their mettle. As a team leader I am proud of them,” Dr Pati added.
The VRDL Biosafety Level-2 was established in 2010 as a part of ICMR’s virology network laboratories to create viral diagnostic capacity and enhance research activities on important viral diseases in the region following the outbreak of pandemic Influenza H1N1 in 2009.
Along with the diagnostics, the researches in the lab cover a broad range of viruses having potential for human disease. They include Arthropod borne, airborne, enteric transmitted viruses as well as those transmitted through blood and body fluids.