Rapid SARS-CoV-2 whole genome sequencing for informed public health decision making in the Netherlands

Oude Munnink, B. B.; Nieuwenhuijse, D. F.; Stein, M.; O'Toole, A.; Haverkarte, M.; Mollers, M.; Kamga, S. K.; Schapendonk, C.; Lexmond, P.; Pronk, M.; van der Linden, A.; Bestebroer, T.; Chestakova, I.; Overmars, R. J.; van Nieuwkoop, S.; Molenkamp, R.; van der Eijck, A.; GeurtsvanKessel, C.; Vennema, H.; Meijer, A.; Rambaut, A.; van Dissel, J.; Sikkema, R.; Timen, A.; Koopmans, M.

doi:10.1101/2020.04.21.050633

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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2020.04.21.050633

Rapid SARS-CoV-2 whole genome sequencing for informed public health decision making in the Netherlands

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Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 is a novel coronavirus that has rapidly spread across the globe. In the Netherlands, the first case of SARS-CoV-2 has been notified on the 27th of February. Here, we describe the first three weeks of the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in the Netherlands, which started with several different introductory events from Italy, Austria, Germany and France followed by local amplification in, and later also, outside the South of the Netherlands. The timely generation of whole genome sequences combined with epidemiological investigations facilitated early decision making in an attempt to control local transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the Netherlands.

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Oude Munnink, B. B., Nieuwenhuijse, D. F., Stein, M., O'Toole, A., Haverkarte, M., Mollers, M., Kamga, S. K., Schapendonk, C., Lexmond, P., Pronk, M., van der Linden, A., Bestebroer, T., Chestakova, I., Overmars, R. J., van Nieuwkoop, S., Molenkamp, R., van der Eijck, A., GeurtsvanKessel, C., Vennema, H., Meijer, A., Rambaut, A., van Dissel, J., Sikkema, R., Timen, A., Koopmans, M.. 2020-04-25. Rapid SARS-CoV-2 whole genome sequencing for informed public health decision making in the Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.04.21.050633

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