BEIJING — China's 30 provincial-level regions, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, as well as State-level organs such as the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, are fully capable of carrying out whole-genome sequencing of the COVID-19 virus, a health official said on May 20.

China has also improved the ability and training for COVID-19 gene sequencing, said Wu Liangyou, deputy head of the disease control and prevention division with the National Health Commission (NHC).

Gene sequencing of all imported cases and the first or early cases of local infections is one of the important steps for strengthening epidemic surveillance, the health official told a press conference.

"We dynamically monitor the situation in virus mutation through gene sequencing, providing a scientific basis for follow-up research involving the impact of virus mutation on pathogen detection and vaccine protection as well as adjusting prevention and control policies," Wu added.