Metadata only
Date
2021-07-29Type
- Journal Article
Citations
Cited 196 times in
Web of Science
Cited 146 times in
Scopus
ETH Bibliography
yes
Altmetrics
Abstract
Following its emergence in late 2019, the spread of SARS-CoV-21,2 has been tracked by phylogenetic analysis of viral genome sequences in unprecedented detail(3-5). Although the virus spread globally in early 2020 before borders closed, intercontinental travel has since been greatly reduced. However, travel within Europe resumed in the summer of 2020. Here we report on a SARS-CoV-2 variant, 20E (EU1), that was identified in Spain in early summer 2020 and subsequently spread across Europe. We find no evidence that this variant has increased transmissibility, but instead demonstrate how rising incidence in Spain, resumption of travel, and lack of effective screening and containment may explain the variant's success. Despite travel restrictions, we estimate that 20E (EU1) was introduced hundreds of times to European countries by summertime travellers, which is likely to have undermined local efforts to minimize infection with SARS-CoV-2. Our results illustrate how a variant can rapidly become dominant even in the absence of a substantial transmission advantage in favourable epidemiological settings. Genomic surveillance is critical for understanding how travel can affect transmission of SARS-CoV-2, and thus for informing future containment strategies as travel resumes. Show more
Publication status
publishedExternal links
Journal / series
NatureVolume
Pages / Article No.
Publisher
Nature Publishing GroupSubject
Phylogenetics; Sars-Cov-2; Viral infectionOrganisational unit
09490 - Stadler, Tanja / Stadler, Tanja
Funding
196267 - Real-time monitoring of COVID-19 transmission through phylodynamics (SNF)
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Show all metadata
Citations
Cited 196 times in
Web of Science
Cited 146 times in
Scopus
ETH Bibliography
yes
Altmetrics