Delta variant predominantly found in Karachi July 16, 2021 KARACHI: The National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad, has started approaching various institutions performing genome sequencing of Coronavirus throughout the country to become part of a national consortium for sharing their data research, while experts in Karachi claimed to have found out some ‘unidentified variants’ following genotyping of 94 randomly selected SARS-COV-2 samples. “We have approached around eight to 10 institutions, conducting partial or whole genome sequencing of SARS-COV-2 or Coronavirus and offered them to join research and share data with each other,” an official of the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad, told The News on Thursday. The official said in addition to the NIH, Islamabad, there were some institutions that have the capacity to perform partial or complete genome sequencing of the SARS-COV-2 but added they were not sharing their research and data with each other. “The objective of the consortium is to enhance their capacity to conduct more focused research and avoid its duplication. In this way, we would be helping each other in monitoring the disease spread and evolution of the virus,” the official said, adding that most of institutions had expressed willingness to become part of the consortium.