Genomic sequencing: Delta Variant dominant in state

Correspondent KOHIMA, JUL 4 (NPN): Department of Health & Family Welfare (H&FW) in its weekly bulletin released on Saturday informed the dominant virus in Nagaland was found to be the ‘Delta Variant’ as per genome sequencing of samples of Covid-19 cases.

On June 10, a total of 98 samples were sent for genome sequencing at National institute of Biomedical Genomics (NIBG), Kalyani, West Bengal of which, 93 were identified as the Delta variant; two of Kappa variant and one Alpha variant, while results of two were awaited.

Meanwhile, interacting with a section of the media here at the BSL-3 lab in Naga Hospital Authority Kohima (NHAK), Dr. Vinotsole (Tina) Khamo, joint director and nodal officer, BSL Labs/Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) said that the Delta variant “is a variant of concern with fast and strong transmissibility rate.”

While giving out the district-wise data of the variants detected recently (See table), Dr. Tina also explained about the transmissibility of the variants– Beta variant transmissibility was 28%; Alpha: 24-34%; Gamma: 33-51%; Kappa: 28-89% and the Delta variant was: 78-121%.

As the Delta variant has been detected as dominant in Nagaland, she said it was potent and highly transmissible and having the most likely risk of mutating to a more dangerous variant.

Dr. Tina asserted that there was an urgent need to look into the case and initiate measures to contain the spread of the virus.

She also stressed on the need to conduct aggressive testing and identify various viruses and to create awareness among the public so that they realise that they were dealing with a more potent and dangerous virus.

Dr. Tina also expressed regret that after over a year of being under pandemic, people have become complacent and casual in adhering to Covid protocols. She warned that the current wave was worse than the first because, once the virus entered a person’s body, it begins to replicate, thus resulting in faster transmission.

To a query on the efficacy of Covaxin and Covishield against Delta variant, Dr. Tina said that the two vaccines, as claimed by medical experts, are effective against the Delta variant. In this regard, she was hopeful that more people would come forward to get vaccinated that testing facility would also be ramped up.

Asked about low turnout for testing, Dr Tina opined that , “as long as testing is being charged, nobody will come forward. We want to increase testing facility but I don’t think anybody would like to come forward if it’s beyond one’s means.” The only way, she suggested was to make testing free so that people would come forward.

She also informed that the department will be sending more Covid samples for genome sequencing– 15 samples from each district.

She said that since NIBG was conducting genome sequencing for the whole country, it may take time for the result to come. Dr. Tina also informed that samples are sent based on certain criterion such as PCR, CT values and viral load etc.
Positivity rate above 10 pc in Mkg, Kma
DIMAPUR, JUL 3 (NPN): The Covid-19 cases in the State has seen a gradual decline with 623 cases being reported this week (June 26-July 2) as compared to the previous week (June 19-25) that recorded 662 cases. The state’s weekly positivity rate also dropped from 9 per cent to 7 per cent.
According Health & Family Welfare (H&FW) department’s weekly bulletin, the state witnessed a sharp decline in positive cases in June this year (3559 cases) as compared to the worst phase of the second wave that gripped the state in May (7704 cases).
However, H&FW pointed out that two district recorded a weekly sample positivity rate of over 10%– Mokokchung 19% and Kohima 15% while Longleng reported zero cases in the past week. It also noted that Dimapur, Kohima and Mokokchung showed an increase in new cases as compared to the previous week. The department said that 43% of all positive cases reported in 2021 has been from Dimapur, followed by Kohima (30%) and Mokokchung (9%) while 21 to 30 year age group had the maximum positive cases at 27%. This signifies the role of young people in transmission of the virus, it said.
Further, in addition to State SOP, the department has also come up with core indicators that will be used to assess the situational level of districts– situation level of ‘0’ to ‘4’ where ‘0’ represents no active cases in last 28 days and ‘4’ an uncontrolled situation.
State logs 69 fresh cases, 1 death: Nagaland on Saturday registered 69 fresh Covid-19 positive cases and one death. Of the fresh cases, 19 were from Kohima, Dimapur-14, Mokokchung-12, six in Zunheboto, five each in Mon, Phek and Wokha, two in Tuensang and one on Kiphire, taking the total caseload to 25451.
Further, one more patient succumbed to the infection in Dimapur, pushing the death toll to 499 (14 non-Covid deaths but with positivity).

Source: http://www.nagalandpost.com/genomic-sequencing-delta-variant-dominant-in-state/235875.html