The Center for Disease Control has launched a system that will better map the genome of the novel coronavirus, and share data with national and local health organizations.

SPHERES, the SARS-CoV-2 Sequencing for Public Health Emergency Response, Epidemiology and Surveillance, will greatly expand the use of whole genome sequencing of the COVID-19 virus, health officials announced Friday.

The national network of sequencing laboratories will speed the release of SARS-CoV-2 sequence data into the public domain.

SPHERES will provide consistent, real-time sequence data to the public health response teams investigating cases and clusters of COVID-19 across the country.

Officials say data will help public health response teams across all states better understand how the virus is spreading.

Better data, in turn, will help public health officials interrupt chains of transmission, prevent new cases of illness, and protect and save lives, the CDC says.