After receiving information about two new strains of the Novel Coronavirus or COVID-19, the Telangana Government is on high alert.
The Union Health Ministry, informed two deadly new strains of the Novel Coronavirus in Telangana, Maharashtra and Kerala.
In addition, the State Government also decided not to release a regular media health bulletin regarding the COVID- 19 infection.
On the 23rd of February, NITI Aayog Member (Health) Dr. V.K. Paul in New Delhi said that two new variants — N440K and E484K have been found in the new cases reported from Maharashtra, Telangana and Kerala.
However, he refused this new strain to be connected with the surge of COVID-19 cases and said, these are not interlinked.
Acting upon the report of the new COVID-19 strains, the State Health Department officials alerted district officials and authorities.
The district officials were asked to conduct medical tests on people who have Coronavirus like symptoms.
A official close to the development said, “The sample collections will be increased in the districts particularly in old Karimnagar, Warangal, Nalgonda and Hyderabad, where the number of positive cases were reported in the recent months.”
In addition, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) Government also consulted with the National Institute of Virology and the reputed research centres like CCMB (Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology) to ascertain the intensity of the new variants.
State Director for Health G. Srinivas said, “There was no need for panic as everything was under control and the necessary measures would be taken to curb the spread of the virus in case the number of positive cases go up in the coming days.”
This is not the first time that reports of the new COVID-19 strain in southern India.
Recently, on the 28th of January, scientists at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR,) and Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) found the new variant.
Rakesh Mishra, the Director of CCMB, said the different variant (N440K) which is milder in nature is being researched to ascertain its prevalence in India.
Mr. Mishea said, “It is not a new variant that we found. It is N440 K. It is a different variant. This is there for some time. This N440K was a very small number in September and October last year. Now it looks like it is getting a much bigger proportion. No symptoms issues with N440K.” He further added, “Either this (the different variant) has become normal or the earlier one became weaker. But certainly, symptom wise if it is not equal, it (the different one) is milder. We don’t have enough data as of now. We are accelerating… I think in coming days we will do large-scale sequencing.”
The new N440K variant was seen in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and other southern states.
However, back then there was no sufficient data to speak about the new variant and prove its existence in other Indian states.
After a proper research and study, on the 23rd of February, the Union Health Ministry confirmed it’s existence and alerted the concerned aforementioned (Telangana, Maharashtra and Kerala) states.
Stay tuned for further updates.
