Patna, Jan 31 (IANS): Genome sequencing test at Patna's Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) has been stopped due to lack of reagents.

The officials of the IGIMS said that the service was halted due to unavailability of reagents required to detect the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

Dr Namrata Kumari, head of microbiology department of IGIMS said: "We lack stocks of reagents in our microbiology lab. Hence, the genome sequencing test has been stopped for now. We are not sure when it will start again."

Dr Manish Mandal, the medical superintendent of IGIMS said: "We have informed the non availability of stock to the health department of Bihar. The department has ordered the same. Re-agents are imported from the US. We have learnt that the reagents have reached Delhi and it will come to Patna in the next few days."

IGIMS is the only institute in Bihar having facility of genome sequencing which was started on January 2.

Genome sequencing is required to detect omicron variant of the coronavirus in an infected person. It is a process to analyze all kinds of viruses a patient has. Omicron or Delta variant of the virus can be detected only through genome sequencing and reports also come in 7 days. At least 68 cases of Omicron infection have been detected ever since this service was started at IGIMS.

In the last 24 hours, 1,238 cases of the coronavirus were detected in Bihar including 156 new cases in Patna. The total number of active cases in Bihar is 6,557.