Genome sequencing at two more centres in Bihar from next month: Govt

PATNA: Apart from Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS), genome sequencing will now be conducted at Shri Krishna Medical College and Hospital in Muzaffarpur and Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences in Patna from next month. The state health department has also asked all the civil surgeons to send samples which are found positive in RT-PCR to IGIMS for genome sequencing.
A high-level meeting was convened by the health department additional chief secretary Pratyaya Amrit on Thursday in which officials of the department, civil surgeons and superintendents of all medical college and hospitals were present. State Health Society executive director Sanjay Kumar Singh said all of them were told to send the Covid positive samples to IGIMS.
"The meeting was for review-cum-sensitisation on Covid-19. Department has been taking stock of the situation and there is no need to panic," Singh told TOI after the meeting.
He added apart from IGIMS, where genome sequencing is done, the facility will soon be started at RMRI and SKMCH. "Machines have been procured and training has been imparted to the health workers," he added.
Meanwhile, deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, who also heads the health department, said the government was taking all necessary initiatives to prevent spread of Covid-19. Tejashwi said there were just three active cases in Bihar and situation is under control. As per the data shared by the department on Thursday, no new case was registered on Thursday.