STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) based at Lahowal in Dibrugarh district had alerted Dispur about the detection of UK variant of Covid-19 in February this year.
The RMRC under the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) even issued an advisory to the Assam Government stating that the transmissibility of the UK variant strain is 30-80% higher than the previous strains.
The RMRC in its communication to the National Health Mission (NHM), Assam on February 18, 2021 stated that there was detection of the UK variant of COVID-19 in samples screened at its laboratory at Lahowal in Dibrugarh district. The ICMR warned that Assam would face a spike in COVID-19 cases after the Assembly elections in March and April as election rallies were organized without adhering to any COVID safety protocols amidst circulation of UK variant strain of the dangerous virus.
Sources said the RMRC had detected the UK variant strains while screening COVID positive cases in late January and early February this year. Three samples—one from Dibrugarh and two from Tinsukia—were found to be of the UK variant.
"The detection of the UK variant of COVID-19 in Assam is important as the transmissibility of the strain is 30-80% higher than previous strains and there is a risk of an increase in the number of cases. As such, appropriate steps should be implemented in the district concerned and other districts in Assam also require to screen COVID positive samples for variant strains so that necessary isolation of cases can be implemented to prevent widespread prevalence of the UK variant stains," the RMRC communication to NHM, Assam said.