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COVID-19: ‘India reports first cases of double mutations per sample, their impact not clear yet’

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India on Wednesday reported 223 cases of double mutations in the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, as of March 24, 2021. Of them, 206 were in Maharashtra, according to the Union health ministry.

Capital Delhi recorded nine such cases. Maharashtra has consistently led the country’s COVID-19 tally.

The remaining eight cases of double mutations have been found in Punjab, Gujarat, Ladakh, Jammu and Odisha, the ministry said at the weekly press briefing March 24, 2021.

There was no evidence at the moment to suggest the double mutation of the virus was the reason behind the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, especially in Maharashtra, said Sujeet Singh, director, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

He added the double mutation was found in 20 per cent samples in Nagpur. “The populations that had not been exposed earlier are getting infected,” he said.

Kerala reported the N440K variant in 123 samples across 11 districts; Andhra Pradesh reported the variant in 33 per cent samples. The variant is under investigation.

For the first time today, the Union government gave a state-wise break up of cases caused by the United Kingdom, South-African and Brazilian variants. A total of 771 cases of these three variants have been reported in India; the highest being that of the UK variant.

Down To Earth had reported March 24 that India was sequencing less than a per cent of positive samples as against five per cent requirement laid down by the consortium of Indian laboratory in December 2020.

On being asked if the Union government was considering ramping the exercise, Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said the genome sequencing of positive COVID-19 samples has already been increased significantly.

“Till December, the total quantum of genome sequencing was hardly 3,000. Since December, it has been increased to 11,000,” he said. He, however, evaded the question when asked whether the number of samples sequenced would go up to 5 per cent of the total positive samples.

DTE had reported how the 10 laboratories that are part of consortium and capable of sequencing more than 30,000 samples per month have so far sequenced only 7,664 samples from January 2021 to March 2021.

NCDC’s Singh defended the number and said the basic objective of mapping variants in the country has been fulfilled but for future, the sequencing would be stepped up.

Indian Council of Medical Research director-general said Indian vaccines work against the UK variant; their effectiveness against the South African variant was being studied.



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Navy rescues 38 persons stranded on grounded trawler at entrance of Delft Jetty

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The Sri Lanka Navy successfully rescued 38 individuals who were stranded on a grounded trawler at the entrance of Delft Jetty this morning (07th June 2023).

The timely intervention of the Navy prevented a significant loss of life and property. Had the trawler sunk at the entrance of Delft Jetty, it would have posed significant challenges to the island’s administrative operations and transportation.

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Rear Admiral Hiran Balasuriya assumes duties as Director General Civil Engineering of Navy

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Rear Admiral Hiran Balasuriya assumed duties as Director General Civil Engineering at the Office of Director General Civil Engineering at Navy Headquarters on 06th June 2023.

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Digital Promotion Agency to be established – President

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President Ranil Wickremesinghe during a meeting with Governing and Opposition Members of Parliament held at the Parliament Complex, announced plans to establish a Digital Promotion Agency aimed at developing computer applications for the collection and monitoring of data from various government entities in Sri Lanka.

Previously, private companies had been responsible for creating such applications for government organizations and the President emphasized the need for a dedicated agency to carry out this task in the future.

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