State awaits NCDC report on genome sequencing

SHILLONG, June 1: The Health department had sent samples to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) for genome sequencing of the coronavirus in Meghalaya in order to study the mutations but the report is still awaited.
State Surveillance Officer (IDSP)-cum-Joint Director of Health Services (MCH & FW), Rilin Lyngdoh said, “We will have some idea on the behaviour of the Covid-19 virus in the state once we receive the report from the NCDC.”
Dr Lyngdoh said the Health department had sent 100 samples to the National Institute of Biomedical Genomics in Kalyani, Kolkata and another 100 samples to the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology in Hyderabad. Several institutes in the country are studying the virus mutation.
Dr Lyngdoh said the Health department believes the COVID curve will flatten soon if people continue to strictly follow the protocols.
“We witnessed some improvement in the overall situation in the past two days with the number of new cases coming down,” she added.