Early epidemiological signatures of novel SARS-CoV-2 variants: establishment of B.1.617.2 in England

  1. Robert Challen
  2. Louise Dyson
  3. Christopher E. Overton
  4. Laura M. Guzman-Rincon
  5. Edward M. Hill
  6. Helena B. Stage
  7. Ellen Brooks-Pollock
  8. Lorenzo Pellis
  9. Francesca Scarabel
  10. David J. Pascall
  11. Paula Blomquist
  12. Michael Tildesley
  13. Daniel Williamson
  14. Stefan Siegert
  15. Xiaoyu Xiong
  16. Ben Youngman
  17. Juniper
  18. Jonathan M. Read
  19. Julia R. Gog
  20. Matthew J. Keeling
  21. Leon Danon
1 evaluations Published on
Read the full article Related papers
This article on Sciety

Abstract

The rapid emergence of SARS-CoV-2 mutants with new phenotypic properties is a critical challenge to the control of the ongoing pandemic. B.1.1.7 was monitored in the UK through routine testing and S-gene target failures (SGTF), comprising over 90% of cases by March 2021. Now, the reverse is occurring: SGTF cases are being replaced by an S-gene positive variant, which we associate with B.1.617.2. Evidence from the characteristics of S-gene positive cases demonstrates that, following importation, B.1.617.2 is transmitted locally, growing at a rate higher than B.1.1.7 and a doubling time between 5-14 days. S-gene positive cases should be prioritised for sequencing and aggressive control in any countries in which this variant is newly detected.

One-Sentence Summary

The B.1.617.2 variant of SARS-CoV-2 is replacing B.1.1.7 and emerging as the dominant variant in England, evidenced by sustained local transmission.

Related articles

Related articles are currently not available for this article.