NEW DELHI: In view of the rapid spread of Covid-19 in foreign countries including China, the Union Health Ministry has directed the states to give priority to genome sequencing to find new variants of the virus.

In a letter sent by Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, the samples of positive cases should be sent to the labs under the Indian SARS-Covid Genomics Consortium (INS ACOG) for genetic sequencing on a daily basis. Apart from China, the Centre's intervention comes in the backdrop of the intensifying spread of Covid-19 in Japan, the United States, the Republic of Korea and Brazil in recent days. Bhushan pointed out that through this, new variants circulating in the country can be detected in a timely manner and necessary public health measures can be taken.

Globally, 35 lakh cases of Covid are reported every week. Meanwhile, only 112 new covid cases were confirmed in India yesterday. Active cases fell to 3,490, according to health ministry figures. The US has warned that more variants are likely to emerge in China, where the disease is most prevalent, and spread to other parts of the world due to trade links.