Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The Alpha, Delta, and Omicron variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus have been deemed as variants of concern (VOCs) by the WHO due to their increased transmissibility, severity of illness, and resilience against treatments. Geographically tracking the spread of these variants can help us implement effective control measures. RNA from 8,154 SARS-CoV-2 positive nasal swab samples from a Central Texas hospital collected between March 2020 and April 2023 were sequenced in Temple, TX. Global and U.S. sequencing metadata was obtained from the GISAID database on 3 April 2023. Using sequencing metadata, the growth rate of Alpha, Delta, and the first subvariant of Omicron (BA.1) were obtained as 0.27, 0.3, and 1.08 each. The average time in days to penetrate the US for Alpha, Delta, and Omicron were 269.2, 326.2, and 27.3 days, respectively. Viral sequencing data can be a useful tool to examine the spread of viruses. Each emerging SARS-CoV-2 variant penetrated cities more rapidly as the pandemic progressed. With a high logarithmic growth rate, the Omicron variant penetrated the US more rapidly as the pandemic progressed.
Source: Epidemiology and Infection
Authors: Hosoon Choi, Munok Hwang, John D. Coppin, Piyali Chatterjee, Thanuri Navarathna, Emma Brackens, Lynn Mayo, Brandon Corona, Taylor Yakubik, Collin Telchik, Chetan Jinadatha
Language: English
Subfield: Infectious Diseases
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,550
OpenAlex ID: W4412878375