Labcorp announced that it has been awarded a contract from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide genomic sequencing of samples of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, according to a press release.
Labcorp said the sequencing will aid the CDC in its goal of conducting a large-scale longitudinal genomic survey of the virus using a random set of samples collected from across the United States. The survey aims to provide important baseline information for national and state-level surveillance, help define changes in transmission, identify new variants of the virus, and improve the public health response to the virus. Through this program, the CDC aims to more than double the rate of genomic samples sequenced per week.
Labcorp will sequence the genomes of random de-identified samples that test positive for SARS-CoV-2 and will provide the CDC with completed sequences. This sequencing data will be combined with the results of similar efforts undertaken by national, state, academic, and private labs to help meet the CDC’s target goal.