Belated realisation, utilisation of IBSD facility
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: July 12, 2021 -

IT'S rather annoying that after confirmation of 100 more cases of Delta variant in the state, the government has realised not only the importance of whole genome sequencing of the virus strain but also the existence of a reliable facility to scientifically examine the cases which would be helpful in chalking up effective containment measures.

Nearly a month back, 18 out of 20 samples sent for genome sequencing in a Kolkata lab turned out to be positive for Delta variant followed by 69 more similar cases when the second batch of the samples were tested.

The detection of these first few Delta variant cases should have compelled authorities concerned to ramp up the preventive steps, including initiation of the genome sequencing exercise, as the testing facility was already available at the Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (ISBD).

Thus, the government deciding to activate the IBSD laboratory to specifically determine the virus strain, which has been infecting people in hundreds on a daily basis and after the count of Delta variant cases reached 201 as on Saturday, underscores procedural lapses on the part of the authorities concerned.

While virologists and researchers have been sharing opinion that the hordes of approved vaccines being administered across the world may be decreasing the chances of mutations and hoping that immune evasion will ultimately be brought under control before such variants spiral out of control, it is equally important to note that they have also been emphasising on genome sequencing to establish lineage of origin of the virus variants.

Ever since the spread of the pandemic after its detection in China's Wuhan city for the first time in December 2019, there were reports that scientists had been conducting large-scale whole genome sequencing of strains prevalent in different regions to understand the virus evolution and to explore their genetic diversity.

They have been periodically sharing their findings that in case of emerging viruses, genomic epidemiology has proven to be a useful tool for investigating the outbreak, tracking virus evolution and spread, and understanding nature oftransmission of virus so that the governments concerned may devise area-specific preventive mechanisms.

No doubt, the vigorous vaccination drives launched by the government of Manipur, as per the directive and support of the Centre, in different parts of the state is commendable for inoculating maximum number of the citizens will help in lessening the risk of infection or severity among the vaccinated infected patients.

However, as the vaccine takes several weeks for immunity to build up after someone has been vaccinated, formal process for determining the virus strain that has been wreaking havoc and threatening to overwhelm the state's imperfect health sector should have been initiated when the first cases of Delta variant were confirmed.

With multiple cases of Delta plus variant already detected in Tripura, one could only hope that the inauguration of the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium Sequencing Facility at IBSD will help the policy makers to promptly do the needful for preventing outbreak of the highly infectious Delta plus variant of coronavirus in the state, which is currently struggling to curb the second wave of the pandemic.