COVID-19: No feedback from Centre on double mutation, says Maha minister

Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope on Friday said there was no communication from the Centre or genome sequencing laboratories about the prevalence of the double mutant of the COVID-19 virus.The minister said he was 100 per cent sure about double mutation in the state.However, we have received no communication from the Centre or the National Centre for Disease Control NCDC, which is responsible for genome sequencing of COVID-19. The Centre should guide us about the new virus and its behaviour.

Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope on Friday said there was no communication from the Centre or genome sequencing laboratories about the prevalence of the double mutant of the COVID-19 virus.

The minister said he was ''100 per cent sure'' about double mutation in the state.

''However, we have received no communication from the Centre or the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), which is responsible for genome sequencing of COVID-19. As we do not know about new guidelines, we can not contain the spread of the virus. The Centre should guide us about the new virus and its behaviour. We have sent several letters but we are still waiting for a response,'' the minister said.