Effects of SARS-CoV-2 P.1 introduction and the impact of COVID-19 vaccination on the epidemiological landscape of São José Do Rio Preto, Brazil

Abstract

The emergence of the new Brazilian variant of concern, P.1 lineage (Gamma), raised concern about its impact on the epidemiological profile of COVID-19 cases due to its higher transmissibility rate and immune evasion ability. Using 272 whole-genome sequences combined with epidemiological data, we showed that P.1 introduction in Sao Jose do Rio Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil, was followed by the displacement of eight circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants and a rapid increase in prevalence two months after its first detection. Our findings support that the P.1 variant is associated with an increase in mortality risk and severity of COVID-19 cases in younger aged groups, which corresponds to the unvaccinated population at the time. Moreover, our data highlight the beneficial effects of vaccination indicated by a pronounced reduction of severe cases and deaths in immunized individuals, reinforcing the need for rapid and massive vaccination.

Mortalidade por COVID-19 em pessoas cardiopatas no estado de São Paulo [Mortality from COVID-19 in people with heart disease in São Paulo State] [Mortalidad por COVID-19 en cardiópatas en el estado de São Paulo]

“…Contudo, além das comorbidades subjacentes, como as DCV, que se apresentam como fatores de risco para desfechos desfavoráveis na COVID-19, destaca-se o surgimento de novas variantes consideradas de preocupação mundial. Dentre elas, destaca-se a variante gamma (P.1) que se tornou preocupante no Brasil devido a elevação do número de casos de COVID-19 no início do ano de 2021 e mais recentemente, em janeiro de 2022, a variante ômicron, que embora em grande parte dos casos se apresente como uma doença leve, resulta em uma menor taxa de detecção e logo contribui para maior transmissão 14,15,17,18 .…”

Identification of genomic signatures and multiple lineage markers from the second and third wave samples of COVID-19 in Western Rajasthan, India

“…The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic poses one of the greatest global threats in modern history and has already caused severe social and economic costs. The development of efficient and rapid sequencing methods to reconstruct the genomic sequence of SARS-CoV-2, the etiological agent of COVID-19, has been fundamental for the design of diagnostic molecular tests and to devise effective measures and strategies to mitigate the diffusion of the pandemic (Aleem et al, 2021; Banho et al, 2021; Ignatieva et al, 2022). Whole genome sequencing data of SARS-CoV-2 has important role in the elucidation of lineage of virus (with evolution), tracing the pathogenicity, transmission and spread within a particular state or local region (Ignatieva et al, 2022; Kannan et al, 2021; Lu et al, 2020; Naveca et al, 2021; Tegally et al, 2020; Washington et al, 2021; Zhan et al, 2020).…”