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Updated: Mar 10, 2020 23:45 IST

The National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune is at the centre-stage since the outbreak of coronavirus across the world.

The institute was the first to start testing samples from people who displayed symptoms of coronavirus. It has succeeded in reducing the time taken to get test results back from swabbed people to close to only four hours per sample from around 12-14 hours.

NIV director Dr Priya Abraham explained how the institute is functioning during this national health emergency in an e-mail interview with HT’s Steffy Thevar.

Since the outbreak of Covid-19 in the world, especially in India, NIV has been the most reliable institute for checking samples of suspected patients and also confirming positive cases. While initially a fewer number of samples were being sent, these numbers have only inflated in the past few weeks, especially now that all international passengers are being screened. Is the current strength enough to deal with this excess load?

ICMR-NIV, Pune was the first laboratory to start testing for the Covid-19 agent in India. We have also reported the first three positive cases within the country. As an institute, we do have the capacity to scale up our testing considerably. However, it was expected that if suspected cases were to increase, it would become logistically difficult to send all samples to Pune in a timely manner, India being a large country.

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Hence, initially about 12 Virus Research Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDLs) under the Department of Health Research (DHR) and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) within the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare were equipped to do the screening for the Covid-19 agent.

Gradually, this number has become 51 VRDLs, with a plan to further support and equip yet another 56 VRDLs all across this country. This is a sizeable network. These laboratories have received all reagent supplies from ICMR-NIV, Pune along with standard operating protocols to screen for the virus.

Many of them have also been provided with a capacity to confirm the presence of the virus by running additional confirmatory Polymerase chain reaction (PCR’s). All laboratories meet on a zoom conference every day, even on weekends, to share their results. ICMR-NIV helps with troubleshooting and providing “top-up” reagent supplies. This network has helped considerably to cope with the increasing load that we are seeing now.

During the early phase of the outbreak of the virus, the testing time for each sample was close to 12-14 hours. Has it reduced now?

Currently, the testing time for each sample is the maximum four hours. Each sample is not just tested for Covid-19 but also for 18 other respiratory viral infections, including influenza viruses.

Has NIV recruited more staff after the outbreak of the virus to keep up with the extra pressure?

No, we have just re-organized scientists and technicians from various sections from within NIV and formed a SARS-CoV-2 detection team.

What is the process through which each sample is tested and how many times is a positive sample tested to confirm the presence of the virus?

SARS-CoV-2 is an RNA virus. RNA is extracted from the clinical specimen (throat swabs, nasal swabs, sputum) and then reverse-transcribed to complementary DNA. This is then amplified in a real-time PCR using primers and probes specific for the virus.

We have a screening assay and also additional real-time PCR assays to confirm the presence of the virus. Positive results obtained in the primary testing lab are sent as part of a coded panel to the secondary lab. Results are released only after ensuring 100% concordance between both labs.

NIV is also getting requests from a few other countries to get the samples tested. Which are these countries and how many of these samples have come so far?

We have had requests from Maldives and Afghanistan. We tested and reported seven samples from the Maldives. We have been asked to help with setting up testing in Timor-Leste. You may be aware that we are right now helping Iran.

Being the only institute, NIV is often referred to for sample testing during every epidemic outbreak and one more such institute of a national scale would help reduce the burden on the institute. Your comments.

As described to you earlier, we have equipped other VRDLs in the DHR-ICMR network in a big way. In my opinion, this will be the strategy for future big outbreaks.