Introduction and Rapid Spread of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant and Dynamics of BA.1 and BA.1.1 Sublineages, Finland, December 2021

• Published in: Emerging infectious diseases Vol. 28; no. 6; pp. 1229 - 1232
• Main Authors: Vauhkonen, Hanna, Nguyen, Phuoc Truong, Kant, Ravi, Plyusnin, Ilja, Erdin, Mert, Kurkela, Satu, Liimatainen, Hanna, Ikonen, Niina, Blomqvist, Soile, Liitsola, Kirsi, Lindh, Erika, Helve, Otto, Jarva, Hanna, Loginov, Raisa, Palva, Aino, Hannunen, Tiina, Hannula, Sari, Parry, Mikko, Kauppi, Paula, Vaheri, Antti, Sironen, Tarja, Lappalainen, Maija, Savolainen-Kopra, Carita, Smura, Teemu, Vapalahti, Olli
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States U.S. National Center for Infectious Diseases 01.06.2022; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Subjects: Causes of; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 vaccines; disease spread; Disease transmission; Dispatch; Epidemics; Epidemiology; Finland; Health surveillance; Immunization; Laboratories; Mutation; Population; SARS-CoV-2; SARS-CoV-2 Omicron sublineages BA.1 and BA.1.1; SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Statistics; Finland; Denmark; Sweden; Norway; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant; disease spread; viruses; Finland; zoonoses; SARS-CoV-2 Omicron sublineages BA.1 and BA.1.1; respiratory infections
• ISSN: 1080-6040; 1080-6059
• DOI: 10.3201/eid2806.220515

Multiple introductions of SARS-COV-2 Omicron variant BA.1 and BA.1.1. lineages to Finland were detected in early December 2021. Within 3 weeks, Omicron overtook Delta as the most common variant in the capital region. Sequence analysis demonstrated the emergence and spread through community transmission of a large cluster of BA.1.1 virus.