Distinct mutational landscapes and phylogenomic insights of the SARS-CoV-2 delta variant in Pakistan and India: Regional evolution, novel mutations, and epidemiological implications.

ABSTRACT: Delta SARS-CoV-2 triggered a devastating wave of COVID-19 in India, infecting approximately 26% of the population (~357 million people) within four months, with ~0.4 million new cases per day, and around 250,000 reported deaths. In contrast, Pakistan experienced a much milder Delta wave, recording only 320,333 infections and 6,287 deaths. Against this epidemiological background, the current study aimed to identify genomic mutations in the delta-variant isolates reported from India and Pakistan and to compare their mutational profiles and phylogenomic patterns, without inferring direct clinical causality, in these neighboring countries. We analyzed 1,312 Pakistani and 3,140 Indian delta-variant genomes from the GISAID database to characterize their mutational spectrum and phylogenomic relat

SUBMITTER: Fiaz N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12948076 | biostudies-literature | 2026

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature