Testing has been a powerful tool in the world's fight against COVID-19, just like contact tracing, masks, social distancing and personal protective equipment. So too is genomic sequencing.
Genomic sequencing involves taking a coronavirus sample from an infected patient and comparing it to others.
The virus changes slightly when transmitted to different people, and these mutations lead to new variations of COVID-19.
Rebecca Rockett, a virologist at the University of Sydney's Bashir Institute, says this process creates a unique genetic "fingerprint".
"Your genome is something that is quite specific to you. It is the genetic code or recipe that encodes all the characteristics about you. You have a genome, dogs have a genome and, in this instance, this virus can have a genome. And we're using really small, minute changes within this virus genome to help kind of piece together how the virus is moving through the community" she said.
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By comparing test results, scientists are able to do the detective work of linking individual cases to known outbreaks and grouping together clusters of patients.
Catherine Bennett, chair in epidemiology at Deakin University, says COVID-19 doesn't mutate as quickly as other viruses.
Professor Bennett says sequencing reveals the clusters in New South Wales are also associated with travellers from Victoria.
"The virus that came into Melbourne back in June or late May is in fact still identifiable in the New South Wales cases. So it does allow us to look at those incursions and then track the virus in the community over what is now a couple of months, thousands of transmissions" professor Bennet said. 
Coronavirus spreads quickly, so identifying close contacts of infected people is a priority for health officials.
Genomic testing sample being pipetted into a petri dish, genetic results in the background (Getty Images). Source: Getty Images
Genomic sequencing can assist in the work of contact tracers, in cases where the source of infection is unclear. Dr Rockett says it allows authorities to assess and control breaches and isolate contacts more accurately.
"Someone might not remember being in a particular place at a particular time or accurately predict who they've had contact with. So I think genomic sequencing adds this layer of evidence" she said.
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Genomic sequencing can also identify common behaviours and potential risk factors among people who contract the virus.
Professor Bennett says it allows authorities to create strategies for communities and institutions that are more at risk.
"You're actually seeing what behaviours they have, whether they're on public transport more than others. We place control studies to help us identify what might put them at risk."
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