October 29, 2020

Emergence and Spread of a SARS-CoV-2 Variant through Europe in the Summer of 2020

Category: Article Summary

Topic: Geographic Spread

Keywords (Tags): transmission

• [Pre-print, not peer reviewed] Phylogenetic analysis found that a SARS-CoV-2 variant has emerged in Spain since mid-July with a frequency over 40%. Sequences in this cluster differ from ancestral sequences at 6 or more positions. The variant spread to multiple European countries, with frequencies increasing from low values prior to mid-July to 40-70% in Switzerland, Ireland, and the UK by September. It has also been seen in Norway, Latvia, the Netherlands and France. Despite widespread geographic transmission, no data has suggested whether this variant has a transmission advantage or affects COVID-19 severity.

Hodcroft et al. (Oct 28, 2020). Emergence and Spread of a SARS-CoV-2 Variant through Europe in the Summer of 2020. Pre-print downloaded Oct 29 from https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.10.25.20219063