Newsinc24 Team 
ICMR-RMRC Dibrugarh led by Senior Scientist Dr Biswajit Borkakoty has prepared a kit that enables detection of Omicron variant within 2 hours. This is important because as of now, a minimum of 36 hours is required for targeted sequencing and 4-5 days for the whole-genome sequencing to detect the variant. Internal validation has shown that the tests are 100% accurate. The kit is being synthesized in bulk based on ICMR-RMRC Dibrugarh’s design by a 100% make in India Kolkata-based biotech company GCC biotech in PPP mode.
"The kit has been tested against specific synthetic gene fragments of Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 within two different highly specific unique regions of the spike protein and also reference wild type control synthetic gene fragments. Internal validation has shown that the tests are 100 per cent accurate," Dr Borkakoty also said. A team of scientists led by Borkakoty in July last year successfully isolated the SARS-CoV-2 virus and by doing so ICMR-RMRC Dibrugarh became the third government laboratory in the country to achieve the feat. The kit has been developed at a time as several states across the country have reported Omicron cases. Delhi, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Gujarat have reported cases of the new variant.
