Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Luckhnow, which functions under the aegis of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research of India (CSIR) and Hyderabad-based Biotech Desk Pvt have developed one of the few testing kits to detect Omicron variant. According to the Government, this testing kit can identify Omicron variant in a quick and cost-effective manner.
“Currently, detection of the Omicron variant depends on tests such as ‘S-gene drop out’ or ‘NextGen sequencing’ of the entire viral genome. This kit developed by CDRI can identify Omicron in a quick, cost-effective manner,” Press Information of Bureau in Maharashtra tweeted.
Omicron is a highly transmissible variant but with moderate symptoms. According to the Health Ministry, currently the third wave is majorly driven by the Omicron variant. However, Delta variant, which causes more severe symptoms, has not completely faded away from various places in the country.
India conducted 17.42 lakh Covid tests on Wednesday with the total tests of 73.24 crore done so far. On Wednesday, 1.61 lakh Covid cases were registered in the country with 1,733 deaths in the last 24 hours till 8:00 am. The daily positivity rate and the weekly positivity rate stood at 9.26 per cent and 14.15 per cent respectively.