Lok Sabha Question No. 4134 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-19
Subject: SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Vincent H Pala

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4134 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.03.2021

## SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium

## 4134. SHRI VINCENT H. PALA:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY विज्ञान एिं प्रौद्योगिकी मंत्री be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) had asked for fund from his ministry and if so, the amount of funds requested and the funds sanctioned and released so far;
- (b) the target set for sequencing when INSACOG was launched and the achievements made therein so far;
- (c) the  numbers  and  details  of  all  samples  of  different  variants  of  SARS-CoV-2  sent  to INSACOG for sequencing purpose, State/UT-wise;
- (d) whether it was initially proposed to sequence five percent of all positive samples from each state  in  order  to  identify  potential  outbreaks  and  related  strains  as  part  of  continuous surveillance; and
- (e) if so, the details regarding the number of samples of different variants of SARS-CoV-2 sent to INSACOG every month since its launch, State/UT-wise?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE; MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; AND MINISTER OF EARTH SCIENCES (DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

(a) Sir,  the  Indian  SARS-CoV-2  Genomics  Consortium  (INSACOG)  was  set  up  for  genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in India. The consortium involves ten Regional Genome Sequencing Laboratories (RGSLs) namely NIBMG Kalyani, ILS Bhubaneswar, ICMR-NIV Pune, NCCS Pune, CSIR-CCMB  Hyderabad,  CDFD  Hyderabad,  InStem/NCBS  Bengaluru,  NIMHANS  Bengaluru, CSIR-IGIB Delhi, and  NCDC Delhi.  The  RGSLs  are  currently  utilizing  their  internal  funds  and resources for undertaking the activities of the consortium. The proposal for sanction of fund is under the financial appraisal process in the Department of Biotechnology.

(b) In INSACOG, 10 laboratories were designated in India for Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) with the objectives: to ascertain the current status of new variant of SARS COV-2 in the country; to establish a sentinel surveillance for early detection of genomic variants with public health implication;

to determine the genomic variants in the unusual events/trends (super spreader events, high mortality/ morbidity trend areas etc).

(c), (d) & (e) Yes, Sir. It was initially proposed to sequence five percent of all positive samples from each state in order to identify potential outbreaks and related strains as part of continuous surveillance with  priority  given  to  COVID-19  laboratories/  hospitals  in  urban  areas  and  tertiary  care  District Hospitals as per the defined Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).  As of 10th March 2021, a total of 19,092  RT-PCR  positive  samples  for  SARS  CoV-2  have  been  received  from  various  states/UTs (across the 10 designated RGSLs), in which 4869 samples have been processed. Among the processed samples, 284 samples have been detected to be positive for the 'UK strain' and 11 samples positive for  the  'South  African  strain'  and  1  sample  positive  for  the  'Brazil  strain'.  The  details  regarding number of samples received for sequencing since the launch of the consortium till the 10 th March has been provided in the Annexure-I.

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## Annexure-I: State/UT-wise distribution of samples

| State/UT                             |   Total Number of Samples Received for Sequencing |
|--------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
| Andaman &Nicobar Islands (UT)        |                                                80 |
| Andhra Pradesh                       |                                               449 |
| Assam                                |                                                80 |
| Bihar                                |                                                41 |
| Chandigarh (UT)                      |                                               180 |
| Chhattisgarh                         |                                               173 |
| Dadra &Nagar Haveli &Daman &Diu (UT) |                                                 5 |
| Delhi (UT)                           |                                              1232 |
| Goa                                  |                                                65 |
| Gujarat                              |                                               519 |
| Haryana                              |                                              1183 |
| Himachal Pradesh                     |                                               539 |
| Jammu &Kashmir (UT)                  |                                               195 |
| Jharkhand                            |                                               146 |
| Karnataka                            |                                               137 |
| Kerala                               |                                              5191 |
| Ladakh (UT)                          |                                                13 |
| Madhya Pradesh                       |                                               335 |
| Maharashtra                          |                                              2826 |
| Manipur                              |                                                81 |
| Meghalaya                            |                                               102 |
| Mizoram                              |                                               149 |
| Odisha                               |                                               682 |
| Puducherry (UT)                      |                                                 5 |
| Punjab                               |                                              1174 |
| Rajasthan                            |                                              1963 |
| Sikkim                               |                                                88 |
| Tamil Nadu                           |                                               102 |
| Telangana                            |                                               377 |
| Tripura                              |                                               131 |
| Uttar Pradesh                        |                                                85 |
| Uttarakhand                          |                                               181 |
| West Bengal                          |                                               583 |
| Total                                |                                             19092 |