Work

From Entry to Outbreak in a High School Setting: Clinical and Wastewater Surveillance of a Rare SARS-CoV-2 Variant

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: In December 2021, an outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.640.2 variant, potentially originating from Cameroon, was investigated among schoolchildren in Germany. The index case, an adult who had recently returned from a three-week stay in the Republic of Congo, introduced the variant into a school setting via their children, resulting in subsequent transmission within the school and ultimately to a hospital ward. Whole-genome sequencing of viral samples identified both B.1.640.1 and B.1.640.2 lineages. This outbreak highlights the unpredictable nature of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants and emphasizes the importance of early detection and containment to mitigate transmission to high-risk populations. Notably, wastewater surveillance detected the variant during the study peri-od, reinforcing the utility of wastewater-based epidemiology as a complementary tool for the early warning and containment of novel variants. These findings underline the critical need for timely research and adherence to quarantine measures to enhance outbreak control efforts.

Source: Viruses

DOI: 10.3390/v17040477