A genome sequencing lab, to help in identifying the genomic sequence of the COVID variant will soon be available in the State of Andhra Pradesh from next week.

As per reports, the State Medical Health Department has entered into an agreement with the Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) for the establishment of this lab. The facility will be set up at the Government Medical College in Vijayawada.

About 15% of the positive cases registered in the State so far are being sent to the Hyderabad lab for genome sequencing. With the threat of the Omicron variant looming and many people coming from different countries landing in AP, the samples of those who have tested COVID positive are being sent to CCMB in Hyderabad for genomic sequencing to identify the Omicron variant. This leads to a delay in the release of results.

Officials said that if a lab was made available in Vijayawada (which is close to the Gannavaram Airport), it would speed up the process and avoid delays in reports being released. State Medical and Health authorities are laying special focus on people arriving from South Africa, Botswana, the UK, Hong Kong are other risk countries. Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on the prevailing Covid situation in wake of the new variant, has directed officials to set up special medical teams at airports of Bangalore, Chennai, and Hyderabad and screen people who are arriving in Andhra Pradesh.

Commissioner for Health & Family Welfare, K Bhasker said that steps were being taken to start operations in the lab from next week.

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