PCMD monitors emerging Covid variants

Dr Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research (PCMD) at the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi) is carrying out genotyping of SARS-CoV-2 and monitoring the emerging pattern of variants, a statement said.

National Institute of Virology (NIV), working under Dr Panjwani Center, has screened more than 0.3 million suspected samples of COVID-19 received from different districts of Karachi, the statement said.

International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences Director Prof Dr Iqbal Choudhary said, "Dr Panjwani Center has played a pivotal role in terms of performing national duty during the ongoing pandemic of Covid-19." He said that Sindh Health Ministry had already declared ICCBS - University of Karachi as Sindh government's provincial healthcare research hub. Currently, the center developed the capacity to conduct over 3,000 tests every day, the largest in the country, he said, adding that the Chief Minister of Sindh was personally monitoring the development of this super lab.

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He said that NIV was also carrying out genotyping of SARS-CoV-2 and monitoring the emerging pattern of variants. He emphasized the need to accelerate genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 to timely identify and contain rapidly emerging new strains of the virus. Prof Choudhary said that the importance of genome surveillance could not be overlooked. He maintained that equally important in controlling of the pandemic was to monitor the changes occurring in this SARS-CoV-2 virus.

This nationwide genome surveillance was conducted at the Jamil-ur-Rahman Center for Genomics at the ICCBS, he said. He urged the citizens to avoid violating SOPs.