scienceUpdated: Aug 15, 2020 12:00 ISTA team of genomic researchers from two institutes has identified 73 novel variants of the Covid-19 strain in Odisha, its head has said. The researchers are from CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), New Delhi and Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital, Bhubaneswar, he said. The research team, supported by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), validated the most-advanced Covid-19 sequencing technology. The IMS and SUM Hospital researchers are also undertaking the sequencing and analysis of 500 viral genomes to understand the mild, moderate and critical coronavirus infection along with its transmission capabilities, he said. Asked about the difference between RT-PCR test and Covid-19 sequencing tests, Das said, “The Covid-19 sequencing reports give the entire history of the coronavirus, while the RT-PCR tests only determine whether a patient is positive or negative for the infection.”

Source: Hindustan Times August 15, 2020 06:33 UTC