Published On : Tue, Feb 20th, 2024
By Nagpur Today Nagpur News

Nagpur-based NEERI chosen by WHO for enhanced SARS-CoV2 variant tracking

Nagpur: The National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), based in Nagpur, has been selected by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the reference laboratories from various countries to strengthen the tracking of emerging SARS-CoV2 variants and other viruses.

NEERI’s Environmental Epidemiology and Pandemic Management (EEPM) division, under the leadership of Principal Scientist and Head Dr. Krishna Khairnar, has been invited to share its expertise in environmental and wastewater surveillance to identify critical blind spots in SARS-CoV2 detection.

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The EEPM division at NEERI serves as a key INSACOG regional genome surveillance lab and a sentinel for Covid in 11 districts of Vidarbha. Equipped with state-of-the-art molecular and sequencing platforms, along with specialized expertise and resources, the lab plays a pivotal role in comprehensive genomic surveillance. Linked to multiple government hospitals and labs across the 11 districts of Vidarbha, the lab has the necessary infrastructure for conducting genomic surveillance in both wastewater and clinical samples.

Over the past two years, the lab has actively engaged in whole-genome sequencing for Covid-positive samples, generating more than 5,000 whole genome sequences submitted to the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID).

The WHO is currently restructuring the SARS-CoV2 reference laboratory network (CoViNet), established during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. The revamped CoViNet will operate through global, regional, and national laboratories. NEERI’s EEPM division will be represented by Dr. Krishna Khairnar at the first CoViNet meeting, organized by the WHO’s Department of Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention (EPP) at its headquarters in Geneva on March 26-27.

The primary objective of the meeting is to facilitate global expertise and capacity for accurate detection and monitoring, along with genotypic and phenotypic assessment of SARS-CoV2, Mers-CoV, and novel coronaviruses of public health significance. NEERI’s active involvement in this initiative further solidifies its position as a key contributor to global efforts in combating the ongoing pandemic and future viral threats.

According to Dr Khairnar, the WHO aims to keep a track of all future variants with accurate diagnosis and timely risk assessment through CoViNet. As the pandemic has subsided, testing is not happening at a mass level. So, when we don’t have many clinical samples to study, wastewater monitoring becomes crucial. This will help in early detection of community spread of the pathogen, he said.

After the first CoViNet meet, Dr Khairnar would be starting the WHO centre with special focus on wastewater surveillance for the novel coronavirus. The centre will also impart training, capacity building and groom more centres for wastewater surveillance across India.

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