Replacement of the Gamma by the Delta variant in Brazil: Impact of lineage displacement on the ongoing pandemic.

ABSTRACT: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic in Brazil was driven mainly by the spread of Gamma (P.1), a locally emerged variant of concern (VOC) that was first detected in early January 2021. This variant was estimated to be responsible for more than 96 per cent of cases reported between January and June 2021, being associated with increased transmissibility and disease severity, a reduction in neutralization antibodies and effectiveness of treatments or vaccines, and diagnostic detection failure. Here we show that, following several importations predominantly from the USA, the Delta variant rapidly replaced Gamma after July 2021. However, in contrast to what was seen in other countries, the rapid spread of Delta did not lead to a large increase in the number of cases and deaths repor

SUBMITTER: Giovanetti M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8971541 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature