Technology > Health & Medicine Sree Chitra Institute develops multiplex RT-PCR kit that can detect new strains of Wuhan virus 18 May 2021 A new multiplex RT-PCR kit developed by Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), an institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), has a higher accuracy of detecting Wuhan virus or the new coronavirus across its various mutant strains now spreading the pandemic. As the pandemic is going through a second wave with multiple variants, the selection of target genes in multiplex RT-PCR assay is becoming critical for accurate detection of the virus. “This unique RT-PCR kit will be a significant weapon in our fight against Covid-19 by a facile detection of SARS-CoV-2 mutations,” secretary, DST, Ashutosh Sharma, said.