Genome sequencing for Omicron done only in 10% cases

Shilpa P | NT

Mysuru: The state government has been able to do genome sequencing of only ten percent of representative cases of Covid 19 to confirm Omicron and other variants in the existing five labs in Bengaluru.

With the number of cases of covid almost doubling in the state each day (27,156 cases on Monday to 41,457 on Tuesday and from 729 cases in Mysuru on Saturday to 1,892 cases on Sunday), experts predict that most cases are now Omicron. Speaking to News Trail, Commissioner of the Department of Health and Family Welfare Randeep D, agreed with this and said, “this is broadly true, more than 75 percent of the genome sequencing reports of covid cases in the state are of the Omicron variant.”

At present from Mysuru district alone, in the past 30 days only 446 representative samples of international passengers and those from clusters alone are being sent for genome sequencing to NIV in Bengaluru. Among them, two cases are confirmed to be Omicron and the reports of 40 samples are awaited. “Commissioning of five more labs for genome sequencing including two more in Bengaluru, and three in each division of the State which have been announced by the State government, will double the existing capacity of genome sequencing tests in the State,” Mr Randeep, said.