Assam lab isolates Covid-19 virus in tissue culture; 4th in country to do so

Other uses of cultures of SARS-CoV-2 include drug screening for potential drugs or drug candidates against the virus, testing effectiveness of disinfectants, use in development of therapeutic antibodies etc

Published on: Jul 1, 2020, 17:52:09 IST

Hindustan Times, Guwahati | By Utpal Parashar

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A government laboratory in Assam has successfully isolated the SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) virus becoming the fourth such facility in the country to achieve the feat.

The Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) in Dibrugarh district said live and viable SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19 virus) can now be produced in abundance in lab as and when required (HT PHOTO)

Indian Council of Medical Research’s (ICMR) Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) located in Lahowal in Dibrugarh district follows National Institute of Virology, Pune, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad and Bharat Biotech, Hyderabad to be able to isolate the virus.

“The significance of Covid-19 virus isolation by team at RMRC, Dibrugarh is that live and viable SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19 virus) can now be produced in abundance in lab as and when required,” said a press release issued by RMRC-Dibrugarh.

“It is important for development of inactivated Covid-19 vaccine where virus grown in laboratory are inactivated by heat or chemical and purified for use as vaccines after pre-clinical and clinical trials,” it added.

Apart from vaccine development, other uses of cultures of SARS-CoV-2 include drug screening for potential drugs or drug candidates against the virus, testing effectiveness of disinfectants, use in development of therapeutic antibodies etc.

According to scientists at RMRC, Dibrugarh all strains of SARS-CoV-2 were L-type and not S-type, which is slowly disappearing across the world.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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