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A Swiss study shows how a new variant of the coronavirus could spread. It also explains where this first occurred.
Analysis of the prevalence of Sars-CoV-2 in summer in Spain and travel data show that these factors may explain how 20A.EU1 has spread so successfully.
Photo: Federico Gambarini (Keystone / Symbolbild)
Researchers have identified a new variant of Sars-CoV-2 that has spread across Europe in recent months. Among other things, the relaxation of travel restrictions facilitated the spread of the new variant.
Consequently, it is currently one of the most widespread variants of the new coronavirus in Europe, as the University of Basel announced on Thursday. Currently there are hundreds of variants that differ from each other by small mutations in the genome. In Switzerland, between 30 and 40 percent of the virus genome sequences examined belong to the new variant.
Analyzes by researchers from the University of Basel, the ETH Zurich Basel and the “SeqCOVID-Spain” consortium suggested that the new variant, named 20A.EU1, first appeared in Spain in the summer.
At first there was a super diffuser event
The earliest evidence for the new genome variant is related to a superpropagation event among agricultural workers in northeastern Spain. It then quickly spread throughout the country and eventually reached other European countries, as well as Hong Kong and New Zealand. Researchers suspect that relaxation of travel restrictions and social distancing measures in summer facilitated the spread.
Although the increase in the prevalence of 20A.EU1 parallels the number of cases, which has increased this fall, the new variant is not necessarily the cause of the increase, according to the researchers.
No evidence of worse disease progression
“It is important to note that there is currently no indication that the spread of the new variant is due to a mutation that increases transmission or influences the course of the disease,” said epidemiologist Emma Hodcroft of the University of Basel, first author of the another peer-reviewed study.
In fact, in some countries with a significant increase in Covid 19 cases, other variants dominated, said Richard Neher, also from the University of Basel.
Evaluate the clinical impact
The study authors are currently working with virology labs to investigate the possible effects of the mutation. They also hope to have access to the data soon to assess the clinical impact of the variant.
Emma Hodcroft first identified this during a Swiss sequence analysis with the “Nextstrain” platform. With the platform, pathogens can be tracked in real time using genetic sequencing.
