A citywide rapid whole-genome sequencing (rWGS) program in Dubai reported a high diagnostic yield among critically ill infants and toddlers, with particular enrichment among cases from consanguineous families. The study was published in Nature Medicine. Researchers described Little Falcon, a coordinated referral program from Dubai’s ICU network to a centralized genomics center accredited by the College of American Pathologists, using Illumina NovaSeq 6000 sequencing. The model emphasized clinic-lab coordination with neonatologists, pediatric specialists, genetic counselors, and genomic scientists to deliver results fast enough to inform clinical decisions. In 100 enrolled children, the team reported that more than half were neonates and 87% were under one year of age, spanning multiple ancestry groups across the Middle East and Asia. The program’s workflow integrates variant interpretation guidance from American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics and the Association for Molecular Pathology.