This is an archive article published on April 16, 2021
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Madhya Pradesh: Double mutation virus in 6% samples tested, UK variant in 5%
A total of 972 samples were sent for genome sequencing – of 876 that were processed, at least 44 had UK variants and another 56 had double mutation. Most of these samples are either from Indore and Bhopal.
With a total of 10,166 positive cases recorded on Thursday, MP has a positivity rate of 21.2 percent, with most ACTIVE cases – 1693 – in Indore, followed by 1,637 in Bhopal.
Double mutation of Covid-19 virus has been recorded in 6 percent of samples tested, while UK variants of the virus has been found in 5 percent of total samples sent by Madhya Pradesh to the National Centre of Disease Control (NCDC) for genome sequencing.
A total of 972 samples were sent for genome sequencing – of 876 that were processed, at least 44 had UK variants and another 56 had double mutation. Most of these samples are either from Indore and Bhopal.
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Details of the findings were shared by NCDC with Health officials of MP government on Thursday.
With a total of 10,166 positive cases recorded on Thursday, MP has a positivity rate of 21.2 percent, with most ACTIVE cases – 1693 – in Indore, followed by 1,637 in Bhopal.
Of total samples sent for genome sequencing, around 450 were collected in the last one year; the remaining were collected in the last two months. A senior official said that of the samples that were found Covid-positive, roughly 1,000 were genome sequencing; of these, 10 percent tested positive either for the UK variant or double mutation.
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While the South African variant is considered to be capable of escaping immune response, the UK variant is considered more virulent, and the double mutated virus is more infectious and highly transmissible, although less virulent.
The samples sent for genome sequencing is less than 1 percent of the total 3,73,518 positive cases reported in Madhya Pradesh so far.
Across the country, 12,000 samples have been sequenced till date. Only those samples that have tested positive in an RT-PCR test are preserved for genome sequencing.
A senior health department official said: “Considering that there were 50,000 positive cases reported with RT-PCR tests, around 500 cases were sent, which is very less.”
As per new guidelines issued by the Centre, every state would send 15 samples randomly selected for whole genome sequencing while tertiary centres in the states would send samples with patients that are severely ill, re-infections and suspected cases of vaccination failures along with reinfection following vaccination.
With a total of 10,166 positive cases recorded on Thursday, MP has a positivity rate of 21.2 percent, with most ACTIVE cases – 1693 – in Indore, followed by 1,637 in Bhopal. 
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