New coronavirus mutants: SpiceJet arm to set up genome sequencing test lab at Delhi airport

NEW DELHI: SpiceJet’s health care arm, SpiceHealth, has tied-up with CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB) to set up a portable testing laboratory for genome sequencing at Delhi’s IGI Airport for all positive samples from international travellers.
This move would “ensure early action in containing new mutant variants of Covid-19 detected in UK and other countries… that have increased transmissibility.”
NITI Aayog member (health) Dr V K Paul inaugurated SpiceHealth’s genome sequencing lab on Thursday. Among those present were CSIR-IGIB director Dr Anurag Agrawal; SpiceJet CMD Ajay Singh and SpiceHealth CEO Avani Singh. CSIR-IGIB is a constituent member of the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) recently announced by the Union health ministry.
“Sequencing at the airport is expected to minimise the time to (take) necessary action. CSIR’s experience using portable sequencers suggests that it is possible to identify variants within 48 hours of a person arriving in India and testing positive.