CoViNet : WHO
World Health Organisation (WHO) has launched a new network for coronaviruses, CoViNet.
- CoViNet is a network of global laboratories with expertise in human, animal and environmental coronavirus surveillance.
- It will identify and monitor potentially novel coronaviruses that could emerge shortly.
- The network will now have animal health and environmental surveillance and timely risk assessment to feed WHO policies and protective measures.
- In low- and middle-income countries, CoViNet will support the building of more laboratories to monitor MERS-CoV and novel coronaviruses of public health importance.
- Data generated through CoViNet’s efforts will guide the work of WHO’s Technical Advisory Groups on Viral Evolution (TAG-VE) and Vaccine Composition (TAG-CO-VAC).
- It currently comprises 36 laboratories from 21 countries in all six WHO regions.
- Three Indian laboratories namely; the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Virology in Pune, and the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute are part of this network.
