INSACOG closely assessing situation, vigilant on COVID mutant: NK Arora

Dr N K Arora, Chairman of India's COVID-19 Working Group of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI)

As a spurt of COVID-19 infections overwhelms the healthcare infrastructure in China, the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genome Consortium Network, or INSACOG, is maintaining a close vigil to assess potential mutations of the coronavirus among the country's population.

“The INSACOG network has enhanced the surveillance for assessment of mutations happening in the coronavirus. The states have been told to send the samples of positive cases proactively,” Dr NK Arora, co-chair of INSACOG, told Moneycontrol.

Ruling out fears of new mutations emerging from China’s COVID-19 outbreak, Arora said a high level of vigilance has helped India track new forms of the Omicron variant in the past.

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“There is no need for panic, we definitely need to keep a strict vigil on the emergence of variants of concern and outbreaks so that they can be contained before they spread to a larger region,” he added.

The co-chair of INSACOG said a coordinated assessment by the consortium helped India detect several forms of the Omicron variant like XBB, BE 1, BA.2.75 and contain potential outbreaks in the past.

The Union Health Ministry, meanwhile, has directed state governments to conduct genome sequencing of COVID-19-positive samples to track potential new variants.

"In view of the sudden spurt of cases being witnessed in Japan, the United States of America, the Republic of Korea, Brazil and China, it is essential to gear up the whole genome sequencing of positive cases samples to track the variants through …INSACOG network," Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan wrote in a letter to the states and Union Territories.

Also read: Covid in China: What we know so far about the rapidly-spreading omicron subvariant BF.7

Bhushan requested the states and UTs to ensure samples of all positive cases, on a daily basis, are sent to INSACOG Genome Sequencing Laboratories (IGSLs).

"Such an exercise will enable the timely detection of new variants, if any, circulating in the country and will facilitate the undertaking of requisite public health measures for the same," he added.

Arora, who heads the National Technical Advisory for Immunisation (NTAGI), said the threat from emerging variants was less for the Indian population as it had vaccine-induced immunity as well as natural immunity.

“Though it is difficult to comment how a new variant may behave, we have had an incredible vaccination (programme) in India. A majority of our population is vaccinated with double dosage of COVID-19 vaccines, so we have an advantage,” he added.

Mutation threat from the Chinese mainland 

When asked if India agreed with US apprehensions of new COVID-19 mutations spreading from China, Arora said commenting on the Chinese situation was difficult.

“It is difficult to comment on the evolving situation of China. They have recently revoked (their) zero-COVID policy. If the mutation really takes place, the virus doesn’t follow geographical boundaries,” he added.

Also read: China’s Covid-19 outbreak has US worried about new variants

Ned Price, the US State Department spokesman, said in a press briefing that the virus spread in China had the “potential to mutate and pose a threat to people everywhere”.

Backing Arora’s stand, epidemiologist and public health expert Chandrakant Lahariya said the outbreak in China was unlikely to impact India because the population has hybrid immunity induced provided by vaccines as well as natural immunity.

“Every country’s setting is different and not every mutation has to be a cause of worry. The clinical outcome varies from country to country; we have seen this in previous variants as well,” he added.

Arora also said the mRNA vaccine trial by Pune-based Gennova Biopharmaceuticals was in its last phase and it can be a potent tool in fending mutant challenges.

Also read: Recombinant COVID variant detected in three states; Govt says no association with case rise in India

“We have both a bivalent (a vaccine that has two different strands of virus) and Omicron-specific vaccine in the pipeline; the deployment may be decided accordingly,” he added.

Asked what India would do if it confronts an upward trajectory in infections, Arora said such a situation was unlikely, adding that a high level of surveillance would keep any potential outbreak under control.