Aligarh Muslim University sends Covid samples for viral genome sequencing after 16 faculty deaths

AMU Vice-Chancellor has written to the ICMR Director-General after growing suspicion of a new Covid-19 variant fuelling the surge of coronavirus cases in Aligarh. The varsity has also sent samples to the CSIR in New Delhi for viral genome sequencing.

Alarmed by the deaths of at least 34 staffers including teachers, the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) has sent samples collected at its Covid-19 laboratory to the CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology in New Delhi for viral genome sequencing. AMU Vice-Chancellor Tariq Mansoor on Sunday said that he had written to the ICMR Director General, following growing suspicion of a new Covid-19 variant fuelling the surge of coronavirus cases in Aligarh. In his letter to ICMR Director General professor Balram Bhargava, the V-C urged him to study if a particular coronavirus variant is circulating around the campus.