Quasi-subspecies of Covid-19 | 01 Apr 2020
Why in News
- According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) a mixture of three quasi-subspecies of SARS-CoV-2 is in circulation in India.
- However, scientists are yet to classify a SARS-Cov-2 variant as an Indian strain.
Key Points
- These imported variants of SARs-CoV-2 showed no differences from how they behaved in the place of origin.
- India’s COVID-19 cases were mainly from people with travel history and their immediate contacts, which is to say that this virus was brought in from outside.
- The government has also constituted a Science and Technology Empowered Committee to coordinate among science agencies, scientists, industries and regulatory bodies for Covid-19 response.
- The Committee will work with the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Institute for Science (IISC) to take speedy decisions on research and development keeping in view of the critical need to increase the testing facilities for COVID-19 disease.
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
- Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research.
- It was founded in 1911 with the name of Indian Research Fund Association (IRFA) and renamed as ICMR in 1949.
- It is funded by the Government of India through the Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.