The Divergent Pattern of SARS-CoV-2 Variant Predominance and Transmission Dynamics in the Brazilian Island of Ilhabela.

ABSTRACT: Our effort in SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance in Brazil has detected the Alpha Variant of Concern with a predominance higher than 75% in the population of Ilhabela island (São Paulo State) at a time when the Gamma VOC was already predominating the mainland raised concerns for closer surveillance on this island. Therefore, we intensified the surveillance for 24 weeks by generating data from 34% of local positive cases. Our data show that the patterns of VOC predominance dynamics and infection rates were in general distinct from the mainland. We report here the first known case of Alpha predominance in a Brazilian population, a delay greater than 3 months for the Gamma to dominate the previous variants compared to the mainland, and a faster dispersion rate of Gamma and Delta VOCs compared to

SUBMITTER: Viala VL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9323713 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature