The ongoing COVID-19 epidemic in Minas Gerais, Brazil: insights from epidemiological data and SARS-CoV-2 whole genome sequencing

The recent emergence of a coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), first identified in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019, has had major public health and economic consequences. Although 61,888 confirmed cases were reported in Brazil by 28 April 2020, little is known about the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in this c...

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Published in:	Emerging microbes & infections Vol. 9; no. 1; pp. 1824 - 1834
Main Authors:	Xavier, Joilson, Giovanetti, Marta, Adelino, Talita, Fonseca, Vagner, Barbosa da Costa, Alana Vitor, Ribeiro, Adriana Aparecida, Felicio, Katlin Nascimento, Duarte, Clara Guerra, Ferreira Silva, Marcos Vinicius, Salgado, Álvaro, Lima, Mauricio Teixeira, de Jesus, Ronaldo, Fabri, Allison, Soares Zoboli, Cristiane Franco, Souza Santos, Thales Gutemberg, Iani, Felipe, Ciccozzi, Massimo, Bispo de Filippis, Ana Maria, Teixeira de Siqueira, Marilda Agudo Mendonça, de Abreu, André Luiz, de Azevedo, Vasco, Ramalho, Dario Brock, Campelo de Albuquerque, Carlos F., de Oliveira, Tulio, Holmes, Edward C., Lourenço, José, Junior Alcantara, Luiz Carlos, Assunção Oliveira, Marluce Aparecida
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	United States Taylor & Francis 01-01-2020 Taylor & Francis Ltd Taylor & Francis Group
Subjects:	Adult Aged Betacoronavirus - genetics Brazil - epidemiology Coronavirus Infections - epidemiology Coronavirus Infections - transmission Coronaviruses COVID-19 Disease transmission Female Genome, Viral Genomes genomic epidemiology genomic surveillance Geography Humans Male Middle Aged Minas Gerais pandemic Pandemics Pneumonia, Viral - epidemiology Pneumonia, Viral - transmission SARS-CoV-2 sequencing Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 southeast Brazil Whole Genome Sequencing Young Adult Brazil Minas Gerais SARS-CoV-2 southeast Brazil genomic epidemiology pandemic genomic surveillance sequencing
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Summary:	The recent emergence of a coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), first identified in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019, has had major public health and economic consequences. Although 61,888 confirmed cases were reported in Brazil by 28 April 2020, little is known about the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in this country. To better understand the recent epidemic in the second most populous state in southeast Brazil - Minas Gerais (MG) - we sequenced 40 complete SARS-CoV-2 genomes from MG cases and examined epidemiological data from three Brazilian states. Both the genome analyses and the geographical distribution of reported cases indicate for multiple independent introductions into MG. Epidemiological estimates of the reproductive number (R) using different data sources and theoretical assumptions suggest the potential for sustained virus transmission despite a reduction in R from the first reported case to the end of April 2020. The estimated date of SARS-CoV-2 introduction into Brazil was consistent with epidemiological data from the first case of a returned traveller from Lombardy, Italy. These findings highlight the nature of the COVID-19 epidemic in MG and reinforce the need for real-time and continued genomic surveillance strategies to better understand and prepare for the epidemic spread of emerging viral pathogens..
Bibliography:	These authors contributed equally to this article. Supplemental data for this article can be accessed https://doi.org/10.1080/22221751.2020.1803146
ISSN:	2222-1751 2222-1751
DOI:	10.1080/22221751.2020.1803146