SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences from late April in Stockholm, Sweden reveal a novel mutation in the spike protein

Large research efforts are going into characterizing, mapping the spread, and studying the biology and clinical features of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Here, we report four complete SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences obtained from patients confirmed to have the disease in Stockholm, Sweden, in late April. A variant at position 23463 was found for the first time in one genome. It changes an arginine (R) residue to histidine (H) at position 364 in the S1 subunit of the spike protein. The genomes belonged to two different genetic groups, previously reported as two of the three main genetic groups found in Sweden. Three of them are from group B.1/G, corresponding to the Italian outbreak, reported by the Public Health Agency of Sweden to have declined in prevalence by late April, and more investigation is needed in order to ensure that the spread of different types of SARS-CoV-2 is fully characterized.