Karnataka: ICMR-approved labs to send 10 per cent of all positive samples for whole genome sequencing

‘Samples of patients with international travel history (irrespective of CT value), representative samples from clusters/focal outbreaks with severe morbidity and/or mortality, seriously sick, hospitalized patients and Covid-19 re-infection cases are to be sent for the WGS. Samples of positive individuals who have been vaccinated with two doses and have completed 15 days after the second dose and samples from Covid-19 death cases have to be tested,’ an order from the state health department stated.

“All the samples received at District Hospital laboratories/Government Medical College labs should be sorted/confirmed and arranged in a sequence according to the meta data shared by the RT-PCR lab and the meta-data of these samples should be shared with the district surveillance officer (DSO) concerned for updating the same on the Integrated Health Information Portal (IHIP)…” the order signed by state Health Commissioner D Randeep read.

On Monday, Karnataka logged 6,151 fresh Covid-19 cases, of which 2,718 were reported in Bengaluru alone. The state currently has 87,080 active cases. Whereas the positivity rate is 6.19 per cent. Karnataka also recorded 16,802 recoveries and 49 fatalities during the day.