Surge of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infections linked to single introduction of a virus strain in Myanmar, 2020

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 11; no. 1; p. 10203
• Main Authors: Nyunt, Myat Htut, Soe, Hnin Ohnmar, Aye, Kay Thi, Aung, Wah Wah, Kyaw, Yi Yi, Kyaw, Aung Kyaw, Myat, Theingi Win, Latt, Aung Zaw, Win, Min Min, Win, Aye Aye, Htun, Yin Min, Zaw, Khaing Mar, Ei, Phyu Win, Hein, Kyaw Thu, San, Lai Lai, Oo, Nan Aye Thida, Lin, Htin, Mon, Nan Cho Nwe, Yee, Khin Than, Htun, Khin Lapyae, Aye, Lynn Pa Pa, Ko, Yamin Ko, Htoo, Thitsar Htet Htet, Aung, Kham Mo, Azili, Hnin, Han, Soe Soe, Zaw, Ni Ni, Win, Su Mon, Thwe, Wai Myat, Aye, Thin Thin, Hlaing, Myat Su, Minn, Wai Yan, Thu, Pyae Phyo, Thu, Hlaing Myat, Htun, Zaw Than
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 13.05.2021; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 631/208; 631/326; 631/337; 692/4017; 692/699; Coronaviridae; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - diagnosis; COVID-19 - epidemiology; COVID-19 - virology; Disease control; Disease transmission; Epidemiology; Genome, Viral; Genomes; Genomics; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Infections; multidisciplinary; Mutation; Myanmar - epidemiology; Pandemics; Phylogeny; SARS-CoV-2 - genetics; SARS-CoV-2 - isolation & purification; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Whole Genome Sequencing; Myanmar; India
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-89361-7

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is a major health concern globally. Genomic epidemiology is an important tool to assess the pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Several mutations have been reported by genome analysis of the SARS-CoV-2. In the present study, we investigated the mutational and phylogenetic analysis of 30 whole-genome sequences for the virus's genomic characteristics in the specimens collected in the early phase of the pandemic (March–June, 2020) and the sudden surge of local transmission (August–September, 2020). The four samples in the early phase of infection were B.6 lineage and located within a clade of the samples collected at the same time in Singapore and Malaysia, while five returnees by rescue flights showed the lineage B. 1.36.1 (three from India), B.1.1 (one from India) and B.1.80 (one from China). However, there was no evidence of local spread from these returnees. Further, all 19 whole-genome sequences collected in the sudden surge of local transmission showed lineage B.1.36. The surge of the second wave on SARS-CoV-2 infection was linked to the single-introduction of a variant (B.1.36) that may result from the strict restriction of international travel and containment efforts. These genomic data provides the useful information to disease control and prevention strategy.