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Cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in Manaus, Brazil, resurged in late 2020 despite previously high levels of infection. Genome sequencing of viruses sampled in Manaus between November 2020 and January 2021 revealed the emergence and circulation of a novel SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern. Lineage P.1 acquired 17 mutations, including a trio in the spike protein (K417T, E484K, and N501Y) associated with increased binding to the human ACE2 (angiotensin-converting enzyme 2) receptor. Molecular clock analysis shows that P.1 emergence occurred around mid-November 2020 and was preceded by a period of faster molecular evolution. Using a two-category dynamical model that integrates genomic and mortality data, we estimate that P.1 may be 1.7- to 2.4-fold more transmissible and that previous (non-P.1) infection provides 54 to 79% of the protection against infection with P.1 that it provides against non-P.1 lineages. Enhanced global genomic surveillance of variants of concern, which may exhibit increased transmissibility and/or immune evasion, is critical to accelerate pandemic responsiveness.

Original publication

DOI

10.1126/science.abh2644

Type

Journal article

Journal

Science (New York, N.Y.)

Publication Date

05/2021

Volume

372

Pages

815 - 821

Addresses

MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK. n.faria@imperial.ac.uk samir.bhatt@sund.ku.dk sabinoec@usp.br.

Keywords

Humans, Communicable Diseases, Emerging, Viral Load, Genomics, Protein Binding, Mutation, Genome, Viral, Models, Theoretical, Brazil, Molecular Epidemiology, Epidemiological Monitoring, Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2, SARS-CoV-2