No significant mutation in SARS-CoV-2 in India; ICMR exploring saliva-based COVID-19 test: Union Heath Minister Harsh Vardhan
India

No significant mutation in SARS-CoV-2 in India; ICMR exploring saliva-based COVID-19 test: Union Heath Minister Harsh Vardhan

New Delhi: The Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday (September 20, 2020) said that there was no vital mutation in SARS-CoV-2 (a virus that causes COVID-19) in India and likewise knowledgeable that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is exploring the saliva-based COVID-19 test.

Harsh Vardhan whereas interacting along with his social media followers by means of ‘Sunday Samvaad platform’ mentioned, “No significant or drastic mutations have been found in strains of SARS-CoV-2 in India (available in GISAID, global database), till now.”

He added that the ICMR has been conducting large-scale sequencing of nationally consultant strains of SARS-CoV-2 virus collected up to now a number of months over completely different time-points and detailed outcomes on mutations and evolution of the virus can be obtainable by early October.

On the latest saliva-based test for COVID-19, Harsh Vardhan famous that ICMR has validated a couple of assessments however no dependable test has been discovered and firms with assessments permitted by US-FDA have nonetheless not approached the Government of India. 

He said that ICMR is actively exploring this test technique and can inform as quickly as dependable choices can be found.

Speaking on the concrete measures which were deliberate to deal with such public well being emergencies sooner or later, he mentioned ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’ will strengthen the nation to an extent the place we can overcome any eventuality together with one other pandemic. 

“On May 12, 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji had announced in his address to the nation an economic package of Rs 20 trillion to tide over the coronavirus crisis and make India ‘Atmanirbhar’. It underlines the commitment of the Government for increased investments in Public Health and other health reforms to prepare India for future pandemics,” mentioned Harsh Vardhan.

He added {that a} main proposal into consideration on the Expenditure Finance Committee stage contains the next parts:

· Strengthening surveillance of infectious ailments and outbreak response together with that for factors of entry.

· Establishment of devoted infectious illness administration hospital blocks in district hospitals.

· Establishment of Integrated Public Health Laboratories, and so forth.

Responding to a query relating to the achievement of engineering polio eradication in India, he said that coronavirus is a novel pathogen and literature is absent on it, in contrast to Polio. He added that India’s dealing with of outbreaks up to now comparable to SARS, Ebola and Plague will play a significant position in containing COVID-19.

He additionally defined how coronavirus turns into deadly for the aged and the co-morbid and opined, “Scientific evidence points towards a high viral load and development of cytokine storms among the elderly perhaps due to certain genetic polymorphism in Toll-like receptors on cells prominent among them. During the course of COVID-19, older patients can reduce their viral titers, only to rapidly descend into a state of shock involving hyper activation of the immune system and hypercoagulation in small blood vessels.” 

However, he forewarned that this doesn’t imply {that a} youthful particular person can’t die resulting from COVID-19. although the chance of dying is much decrease on this case for youthful individuals.

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On the provision of medical oxygen within the nation, Harsh Vardhan assured that there’s sufficient oxygen being produced across the nation and that the Health Ministry is intently monitoring the scenario. 

He additionally dispelled fears attributable to the Oxford Astra Zeneca Vaccine candidate and mentioned that vaccine growth is a fancy course of and that trials have been restarted solely after an unbiased investigative knowledgeable committee gave them the permission to proceed forward.

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