Infectious Disease Lab COVID-19 Sample Submission Updates
March 2022 Update:The Public Health Lab Infectious Disease Lab (IDL) is requesting a proportion of specimens positive for SARS-CoV-2 be submitted for next generation sequencing (NGS) to better understand the emergence and trends of variants circulating in the community.
Due to the changing dynamics of COVID-19 in MN, MDH-PHL is requesting an increase in submission of positive SARS-CoV-2 specimens for sequencing to maintain adequate surveillance in order to detect new variants.All laboratories (regardless of size): Submit up to 10 specimens per week with a Ct ≤ 30
In addition, send ALL positive specimens with a Ct value of ≤30 from:
- hospitalized SARS-Co-V-2 positive patient and
- patients with failure of monoclonal antibody treatment
If your testing platform does not generate a Ct value, please submit any positive specimens following the current guidance above.
The MDH CloudDrive application is a secure file drop location for standard batch submission spreadsheets that was designed to make large submissions (25 or more specimens) less time-consuming.
Once your facility is approved, MDH will send directions for account login and the spreadsheet template for data submission. Files dropped into the CloudDrive will be accessible for 90 days.
If you are interested in using the CloudDrive to submit spreadsheets of 25 specimens or more for sequencing submission, please fill out: CloudDrive Submission Interest Form
Patient test reports will not be generated for sequencing tests. Minnesota-focused subsampling data correlated by CDC is available at Nextstrain.
Variant Tracking and Results Reporting: While MDH is working internally to provide regular variant updates to the general public, the high-level Minnesota variant report will be shared with submitters via MLS on a bi-weekly basis.
