In A First, Tamil Nadu To Set Up Genome Sequencing Lab: Health Minister

In a statement, TN Health Minister Ma Subramanian said that equipment worth Rs 3 crore has been purchased for this and five technicians from Tamil Nadu were sent to InSTEM, Bengaluru for training

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian on Thursday said the state's first genome sequencing analysis laboratory to detect Coronavirus variants like Delta will soon be opened in the state.

In a statement, the Minister said that the facility will be inaugurated by Chief Minister MK Stalin, which is coming up at the DMS campus, will be opened within the next ten days.

The statement said that equipment worth Rs 3 crore has been purchased for this and five technicians from Tamil Nadu were sent to InSTEM, Bengaluru for training.

The state health minister said that in Tamil Nadu 2.70 crore people have been vaccinated so far. Out of this 2,03,07,691 people have received their first dose and 48,58,628 people their second dose of vaccine.

He also said that 2,74,011 pregnant women and 1,95,934 lactating mothers have received the vaccine in the state of Tamil Nadu.

Ma Subramanian said the Tamil Nadu health department has stopped administering the first dose of Covaxin to people as the state needs four lakh doses of the vaccine for the second jab. The state health minister said that as two doses of Covaxin are administered at a gap of 28 days, there is a shortage.

The state health minister also said that he has sent a letter to the Union Health ministry informing that a minimum of four lakh doses of the vaccine is required to administer the second dose of the vaccine.

He said that as of now the state has received 39,08,250 doses of Covaxin and 36,31,545 doses had been administered to the people. He also revealed that private hospitals have a stock of 2,12,937 doses of vaccine.

He said that the state has presently 8,89,877 doses of vaccine in stock and is expected to receive 27 lakh doses as part of the state's August month allocation from the Union health ministry within 13 days.

He also said that around 1.28 lakh people have benefitted in a fortnight after the Chief Minister launched the 'Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam' which is taking health care to the doorsteps of people.

Ma Subramanian told IANS, "We are on top vigil for the presence of variants and the new laboratory to test genome sequencing would be of help to detect these variants. Regarding vaccine, we are expecting more quantity in the next couple of days."