NEW DELHI: The number of people in India who have tested positive for the mutant Covid-19 virus strain has risen to 20, the Centre said on Wednesday.
The tally includes six people who were found positive for the new virus strain on Tuesday.
A total of 107 samples from infected persons have been subjected to whole-genome sequencing at six designated laboratories in different parts of the country so far.
The maximum number of samples - 8 - have tested positive for the new SARS CoV 2 mutant at the National Centre for Disease Control lab in the national capital followed by 7 samples at NIMHANS, Bengaluru.
Other labs where the samples have tested positive include NIBG Kalyani, NIV Pune, CCMB Hyderabad and Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi.
In the view of the reports that the mutant virus is more transmissible, the National Task Force in the country, in addition to conducting the genome sequencing of positive samples from UK returnees over the last month, has also recommended carrying out the advanced tests on 5 per cent of samples from all states.
Taking cognizance of the suggestions, the Centre has formed a genomic surveillance consortium, INSACOG, has been formed under the leadership of the NCDC of the Union ministry of health and family welfare.
As per the consortium's action plan, in case the UK variant or any other variant mutation is detected in any sample, the virus will be sent to any of the two notified Covid virus repositories at RCB- Faridabad or NIV, Pune for isolating the virus and further culturing.
"Comprehensive contact tracing has been initiated for co-travellers, family contacts and others. Genome sequencing on other specimens is going on.
"The situation is under careful watch and regular advice is being provided to the states for enhanced surveillance, containment, testing and dispatch of samples to INSACOG labs," the ministry had said.
The presence of the new UK Variant has already been reported by Denmark, Netherlands, Australia, Italy, Sweden, France, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Canada, Japan, Lebanon and Singapore.
The ministry said that from November 25 to December 23 midnight, about 33,000 passengers disembarked at various Indian airports from the UK.
All these passengers are being tracked and subjected to RT-PCR tests by states and Union Territories.
The Government of India took cognizance of the reports of virus reported from the UK and put in place a proactive and preventive strategy to detect and contain the mutant variant, it said.
This strategy includes temporary suspension of all flights coming from the UK with effect from the midnight of December 23 till December 31 and mandatory testing of all UK-returned air passengers through RT-PCR test.
The samples of all UK returnees found positive in RT-PCR test will be genome sequenced by a consortium of 10 government labs i.e. INSACOG.
Also, a meeting of the National Task Force (NTF) on COVID-19 was held on December 26 to consider and recommend testing, treatment, surveillance and containment strategy.
Besides, standard operating protocol for states and UTs to tackle the mutant variant of SARS-CoV-2 was issued on December 22.
The entire issue was examined at length by the NTF on December 26 and the NTF concluded that there is no need to change either the existing National Treatment Protocol or existing testing protocols in view of the mutant variant.
The NTF also recommended that in addition to the existing surveillance strategy, it is critical to conduct enhanced genomic surveillance, the ministry had said.
(With PTI inputs)