The genome sequencing of samples from the Gujarat National Law University (GNLU), where 16 more students tested positive for COVID on Sunday, will be expedited by the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC). With this, the total number of Covid patients treated at the institutes in the last three days has risen to 53.
The GBRC is expediting genome sequencing to prevent the 28-day delay experienced with the first instance of the XE variation in Vadodara, Gujarat.
In light of the XE recombinant variation being discovered in Vadodara and the unusually high number of Covid cases at GNLU in Gandhinagar, sources in the Department of Science and Technology (DST) said that Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) of a percentage of these cases will be prioritised. The preliminary results should be available by Tuesday or Wednesday.