Genetic mutation of Covid-19 not a concern: Kerala CM
- | Thursday | 18th February, 2021
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that reports on the genetic mutation of the coronavirus in the state should not be seen as a matter of concern."It is natural that there will be a genetic mutation in the viruses," said the chief minister. "During a pandemic, it will happen for which a scientific study and research have to be done. The state government has already entered into an agreement with the Institute of Genomics and Integrated Biology for this."
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that reports on the genetic mutation of the coronavirus in the state should not be seen as a matter of concern.
"It is natural that there will be a genetic mutation in the viruses," said the chief minister. "During a pandemic, it will happen for which a scientific study and research have to be done. The state government has already entered into an agreement with the Institute of Genomics and Integrated Biology for this."
Vijayan added that samples are being collected from all the districts for the study. "However no such reports that an alarming situation has occurred due to the genetic mutation has been informed by the institute which is analyzing the situation. The government has not received any such reports," he added.
Meanwhile, the Institute of Genomics and Integrated Biology has clarified that the ongoing programme on the genetic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Kerala has completed the sequencing of over 700 genomes from the state. The programme envisages the identification of patterns of evolution and transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the state using genome sequencing approaches. The analysis does not suggest anything alarming. Of the genomes, a small subset of genomes has the N440K variant that was previously found in large numbers in Andhra Pradesh.
The Institute authorities informed that previous studies have suggested that this variant could be resistant to specific monoclonal antibodies. While resistance to single monoclonal antibodies is not something of immediate concern, such viruses acquiring additional functional variants that can escape multiple antibodies or spreading fast is something that needs to be watched by continued surveillance through sequencing approaches. The continued sequencing efforts planned would hopefully provide data and evidence on the implications of this and other variants
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