As the Omicron variant is spreading faster in the country, Tata Medical and Diagnostics manufactured a kit, OmiSure. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) approved the kit.

At present, India is using the kit developed by a US-based company, Thermo Fisher, to detect Omicron.

The kit works on the S Gene Target Failure (SGTF) strategy, which helps in the early detection of the Omicron variant.

However, these imported RT-PCR kits are expensive. While the cost of the standard RT-PCR test kit is ₹19, including the GST, the cost of the specialized RT-PCR kit with the SGTF strategy is ₹240, including the GST.

Now, ICMR approved the first indigenous RT-PCR kit, OmiSure, to detect Omicron. If this kit is launched in the market, it will bring down the cost of the specialized RT-PCR kit.

Before sending the kit to ICMR for approval, Tata Medical and Diagnostics tested the kit continuously. The test kit uses the SGTF strategy.

The Omicron variant of COVID-19 underwent many mutations in the S-gene. Hence, the SGTF strategy is used to detect the variant.

The ICMR, while sending an approval letter to the company, said that the tests had been conducted as instructed by the manufacturer. It also said that the manufacturer should maintain consistency for all batches.

Meanwhile, the Union Health Ministry announced that 2,135 cases of Omicron variant have been reported in 24 states and UTs. Among them, the highest number of cases have been reported in Maharashtra with 653 cases, followed by Delhi with 464 cases.

Kerala, Rajasthan, and Gujarat are in the next three places. The Ministry updated the data on Wednesday.

States and UTs announced various measures to control the transmission of COVID-19. While some states imposed the night curfew, others announced the weekend curfew.

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