As COVID-19 cases surge, city ramps up genome sequencing
New Delhi: Amid an uptick in Coronavirus cases, Delhi has ramped up genome sequencing of samples to detect any new variant, officials said on Saturday.
The state-run ILBS, which has a genome sequencing lab, has the capacity to analyze 350 samples in four to five days, said a doctor at the facility.
Sources said that from the end of 2021 till June 5, the ILBS has tested 5000 to 6000 samples and most of them have tested positive for Omicron. Samples with CT value less than 25 can only be tested, they said.
"We have detected BA.1 and BA.2 and its sublineages till now while we have not found any new variants. It has
been reported that a new variant has been found in Maharashtra. The results of some of the samples will come next week," said a source.
Officials said that the Delhi government is holding day to day meetings to take stock of the situation vis-a-vis the coronavirus situation.
The samples being sent to NCDC, LNJP and ILBS for genome sequencing have also been increased but those with CT value less than 25 can only be sequenced.
Meanwhile, Delhi recorded 1,534 new Covid cases and three more deaths on Saturday, while the positivity rate stood at 7.71 per cent, according to data shared by the city health department.
On Friday, the national capital had logged 1,797 coronavirus cases, the highest in nearly four months, along with one fatality while the positivity rate had stood at 8.18 per cent.
The fresh cases came out of 19,889 Covid tests conducted the previous day. This is the fourth consecutive day that Delhi has recorded over 1,300 cases in a day. The capital has logged more than 1,000 daily cases for the fifth day on the trot.
Friday's figures were the highest since February 4, when the national capital logged 2,272 cases and 20 deaths while the positivity rate had stood at 3.85 per cent.
Also, the positivity rate on Friday was the highest since January 29, when 4,044 cases were recorded with a positivity rate of 8.60 per cent, while the city had registered 25 deaths.
The national capital recorded 1,323 new Covid cases and two deaths on Thursday, while the positivity rate stood at 6.69 per cent. The fresh cases pushed Delhi's coronavirus tally to 19,20,559 while the death toll rose to 26,229, the department said in its latest bulletin.
Delhi had reported 1,422 fresh COVID-19 cases and zero fatality on May 8, while the positivity rate was recorded at 5.34 per cent. The city on May 1 had reported 1,485 fresh COVID-19 cases and zero fatality due to the viral disease, while the positivity rate was recorded at 4.89 per cent, according to official data.
Despite the rise in the positivity rate, the city government is not implementing graded response action plan (GRAP) devised by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority since the hospital admissions are low.
