Back to Search Start Over

First Report on the Latvian SARS-CoV-2 Isolate Genetic Diversity

Authors :
Nikita Zrelovs
Monta Ustinova
Ivars Silamikelis
Liga Birzniece
Kaspars Megnis
Vita Rovite
Lauma Freimane
Laila Silamikele
Laura Ansone
Janis Pjalkovskis
Davids Fridmanis
Baiba Vilne
Marta Priedite
Anastasija Caica
Mikus Gavars
Dmitry Perminov
Jelena Storozenko
Oksana Savicka
Elina Dimina
Uga Dumpis
Janis Klovins
Source :
Frontiers in Medicine, Vol 8 (2021)
Publication Year :
2021
Publisher :
Frontiers Media S.A., 2021.

Abstract

Remaining a major healthcare concern with nearly 29 million confirmed cases worldwide at the time of writing, novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused more than 920 thousand deaths since its outbreak in China, December 2019. First case of a person testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection within the territory of the Republic of Latvia was registered on 2nd of March 2020, 9 days prior to the pandemic declaration by WHO. Since then, more than 277,000 tests were carried out confirming a total of 1,464 cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the country as of 12th of September 2020. Rapidly reacting to the spread of the infection, an ongoing sequencing campaign was started mid-March in collaboration with the local testing laboratories, with an ultimate goal in sequencing as much local viral isolates as possible, resulting in first full-length SARS-CoV-2 isolate genome sequences from the Baltics region being made publicly available in early April. With 133 viral isolates representing ~9.1% of the total COVID-19 cases during the “first coronavirus wave” in the country (early March, 2020—mid-September, 2020) being completely sequenced as of today, here, we provide a first report on the genetic diversity of Latvian SARS-CoV-2 isolates.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
2296858X and 67190413
Volume :
8
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Frontiers in Medicine
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.6fe67190413c4e4ca3599dfc8117311b
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2021.626000