Travel ban effects on SARS-CoV-2 transmission lineages in the UAE as inferred by genomic epidemiology

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 17; no. 3; p. e0264682
• Main Authors: Henschel, Andreas, Feng, Samuel F, Hamoudi, Rifat A, Elbait, Gihan Daw, Damiani, Ernesto, Waasia, Fathimathuz, Tay, Guan K, Mahboub, Bassam H, Uddin, Maimunah Hemayet, Acuna, Juan, Alefishat, Eman, Halwani, Rabih, Jelinek, Herbert F, Mustafa, Farah, Alkaabi, Nawal, Alsafar, Habiba S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 02.03.2022; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Analysis; Biology and life sciences; Biomedical engineering; Biotechnology; Child; Child, Preschool; Collaboration; Computer and Information Sciences; Computer engineering; Computer science; Control; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - epidemiology; COVID-19 - transmission; COVID-19 - virology; COVID-19 vaccines; Disease transmission; Electrical engineering; Engineering schools; Epidemics; Epidemiology; Evaluation; Female; Gene sequencing; Genome, Viral - genetics; Genomes; Genomics; Health sciences; Humans; Infection Control - methods; Infectious diseases; Male; Medical research; Medical schools; Medicine; Medicine and health sciences; Middle Aged; Molecular biology; Molecular Typing - methods; Mutation; Pandemics; Pathogens; Pediatrics; Pharmacy; Phylogeny; Polymerase chain reaction; R&D; Research & development; Research and analysis methods; RNA, Viral; SARS-CoV-2 - genetics; SARS-CoV-2 - isolation & purification; Sequence Analysis, RNA; Severe acute respiratory syndrome; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Travel; Travel - statistics & numerical data; Travel restrictions; Travel-Related Illness; United Arab Emirates; United Arab Emirates - epidemiology; Viral diseases; Viruses; Whole Genome Sequencing; Young Adult; United Arab Emirates; Bangladesh; United Kingdom > UK; Dubai United Arab Emirates; Australia; Western Australia Australia; Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates; India
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0264682

Global and local whole genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 enables the tracing of domestic and international transmissions. We sequenced Viral RNA from 37 sampled Covid-19 patients with RT-PCR-confirmed infections across the UAE and developed time-resolved phylogenies with 69 local and 3,894 global genome sequences. Furthermore, we investigated specific clades associated with the UAE cohort and, their global diversity, introduction events and inferred domestic and international virus transmissions between January and June 2020. The study comprehensively characterized the genomic aspects of the virus and its spread within the UAE and identified that the prevalence shift of the D614G mutation was due to the later introductions of the G-variant associated with international travel, rather than higher local transmissibility. For clades spanning different emirates, the most recent common ancestors pre-date domestic travel bans. In conclusion, we observe a steep and sustained decline of international transmissions immediately following the introduction of international travel restrictions.