Insacog seeks more info on Covid variant in Tamil Nadu
In most other states, the B.1.617 has clearly emerged as the predominant variant. But data from TN so far does not show ‘high activity’ for this variant.
Doubts have arisen on the Covid-19 variant driving the surge in Tamil Nadu, prompting INSACOG — India’s consortium of top scientific institutions engaged in Covid-19 genome sequencing — to seek more sampling data from the state, reliable sources told ET.
Initial data, sources said, has proved to be inconclusive, which has caused the concern if some other factor or variant was at play. Still, as of now, the working assumption remains is would be either B.1.617, the variant isolated in India or B.1.117, the one identified in UK. The Centre is learnt to have already written to Tamil Nadu.
In most other states, the B.1.617 has clearly emerged as the predominant variant. But data from TN so far does not show ‘high activity’ for this variant. As per May 24 data shared with the Group of Ministers overseeing Covid-19 preparations, none of the 17 samples tested for variants of concern confirmed positive for B.1.617, while 15 samples did test positive for B.1.117. The consensus, however, was on seeking more data because the sudden surge, of the kind being witnessed in TN, is usually associated with B.1.617 as evidenced across other states. “ In most parts of India, it is now the B.1.617 that is driving the surge in cases. However, it is not clear yet for about three states, particularly TN where there is an increase in active cases. A communication seeking more data has gone to state so that there is more clarity on which variant exactly is linked to the surge”, a key official in the know confirmed to ET.
Bihar, which is on the downward climb, shows 9 of the 14 samples sequenced to be of the B.1.117 variant while 5 are from the B.1.617. Kerala only shows the presence of B.1.117 variant.
Accordingly, INSACOG wants to take a closer look to understand the trajectory as the B.1.117 was dominant about two months back before being supplanted by the B.1.617.
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Latest INSACOG data shows that the proportion of Variants of Concern is clearly increasing in India, touching 33.4% on May 24. Of the 23,997 samples sequenced, 8125 are found to be from VoCs. Of these, 64.8% have tested positive for the B.1.617.
