1st case of mutant Covid strain detected in Valley

SRINAGAR: In a first, a coronavirus sample sent for genome sequencing from Kashmir has been found to have a lesser known mutant strain, health officials said on Friday.

This is the first known change in the Covid virus strain in the Valley, though 28 variants have been detected in Jammu, health officials said.

“The sample in question, which had been sent for genome sequencing to India SARS-CoV-2 Consortium on Genomics (INSACOG), was found to have the N440K strain. The strain has already been detected in Punjab, Jammu, Andhra Pradesh and Telengana, said Dr Bashir Ahmad Fomda, head, department of microbiology at Sher-iKashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Srinagar, which is the nodal hospital for sending samples.

So far, Kashmir had only reported infections with the same strain of the virus that was detected in March 2020.

Fomda said they had sent around 380 samples for genome sampling, of which the results of 118 had returned.

“We are still waiting for the results of other samples, following which we will know the total number of mutant strains.

If there are more cases of this strain then obviously it will be cause for concern,” Fomda said.

Samples from Government Medical Colleges (GMCs) in Srinagar, Anantnag and Baramulla are sent to SKIMS, which forwards them for genome sequencing.

“The sample with mutation belonged to a Srinagar resident,” he said.

Srinagar is the worst affected district in the UT and has logged 36,922 cases and 495 deaths against Kashmir division’s tally of 92,400 cases and 1,309 deaths.

“We will have to see whether the strain spreads rapidly, if the tests are able to detect it and if

it is contributing to the severity of the disease. All these things have not been studied yet,” he said.“Some say the new strain may be responsible for reinfections but it is yet to be confirmed through studies,” Fomda said.

Close tourist places, OPDs: Srinagar mayor

Srinagar municipal corporation (SMC) mayor Junaid Azim Mattu on Friday wrote to lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha requesting measures such as closure of tourist places, hospital out patient departments and disallowing congregations at religious places to contain the surging virus cases.

“A negative RT-PCR test report (should be made) mandatory for anyone entering Srinagar by air or through the road routes,” he said.

He also demanded a 50% attendance roster on rotational basis at all essential services government and public offices, a 33% attendance roster on rotational basis at all non-essential-services government and public offices and at government and private schools.

He sought a 33% rotational regulation for vendor markets and flea markets.

36 oxygen generation plants to come up in J&K

JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir government has approved establishment of 36 oxygen generation plants across Jammu and Kashmir to cater to the rising demand for oxygen.

Chairing a high-level meeting to review the public health response to Covid, chief secretary BVR Subrahmanyam asked administrations of districts with a high positivity rate to ramp up testing in the identified target clusters and prioritise vaccination in the eligible population.

Day 3: Transporters’ stir

Commuters continued to be inconvenienced for the third consecutive day on Friday as transporters continued their strike against the government’s decision to only allow

50% occupancy in vehicles amid the surge in virus cases in the UT.

J&K Transporters Welfare Forum (TWF), Jammu, president TS Wazir has demanded a 50% hike in passenger fare, saying they could not keep incurring losses.