With the State sending 42 samples for genomic analysis to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan on Thursday said arrangements were being made to send samples to two national institutes in Bengaluru — National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences and National Centre for Biological Sciences — to expedite the process.
“We had earlier sent 30 samples of U.K. returnees and their contacts who had tested positive for COVID-19 to NIV, Pune, for genomic analysis. Another 10 samples were sent on Wednesday, and two more on Thursday. As the next step, we spoke to the Central government and got the authorisation to send the samples to the two national institutes in Bengaluru to expedite the works,” he told reporters. Of the 30 samples, two results were known till now. While a sample of a Chennai resident had returned positive for the new U.K. strain early this week, the sample of a patient in Madurai has returned negative. “Genomic…