Sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 variants

Every Monday a special package arrives at the biomedical laboratories of Eurac Research. It contains 48 samples of viral RNA extracted from swabs that tested positive in South Tyrol. These samples are analyzed for possible mutant strains of SARS-CoV-2. Since January 2021, the local health authority has been engaged in monitoring for variants of the virus. This process involves more complex time and technology than the molecular analysis of swabs. In fact, to detect a variant, it is necessary to sequence, that is, to read the entire viral genome to identify possible differences and mutations. The Institute of Biomedicine of Eurac Research, equipped for this type of analysis, supports the Health Authority and every week analyzes part of the positive swabs on the territory.