TY - JOUR
T1 - SARS-CoV-2 introductions and early dynamics of the epidemic in Portugal
AU - Portuguese network for SARS-CoV-2 genomics (Consortium)
AU - Borges, Vítor
AU - Isidro, Joana
AU - Trovão, Nídia Sequeira
AU - Duarte, Sílvia
AU - Cortes-Martins, Helena
AU - Martiniano, Hugo
AU - Gordo, Isabel
AU - Leite, Ricardo
AU - Vieira, Luís
AU - Lira, Agostinho José S.
AU - Sousa Fernandes, Aida M.
AU - Estrada, Alexandra
AU - Nunes, Alexandra
AU - Rodrigues, Alfredo
AU - Caldas, Ana
AU - Constança, Ana
AU - Henriques, Ana Margarida
AU - Matos, Ana Miguel
AU - Oliveira, Ana
AU - Dias, Ana Paula
AU - Pelerito, Ana
AU - Couto, Ana Rita
AU - Vilares, Anabela
AU - Albuquerque, António
AU - Nunes, Baltazar
AU - Gouveia, Bruna R.
AU - de Fátima Rodrigues, Carina
AU - Feliciano, Carla
AU - Roque, Carla
AU - Cardoso, Carlos
AU - Sousa, Carlos
AU - Paulino, Cathy
AU - Bettencourt, Célia Rodrigues
AU - Branco, Claudia C.
AU - dos Santos, Cláudia Nunes
AU - Godinho, Conceição
AU - Caetano, Constantino P.
AU - Correia, Cristina
AU - Toscano, Cristina
AU - Veríssimo, Cristina
AU - Silva, Daniela
AU - da Silva, Diana Patrícia Pinto
AU - Costa, Eliana
AU - Pádua, Elizabeth
AU - Martins, Fátima
AU - Vale, Fátima
AU - Vilarinho, Fernanda
AU - Branca, Fernando
AU - Caldeira, Filomena
AU - Gomes, João Paulo
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, The Author(s).
PY - 2022/12
Y1 - 2022/12
N2 - Background: Genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in Portugal was rapidly implemented by the National Institute of Health in the early stages of the COVID-19 epidemic, in collaboration with more than 50 laboratories distributed nationwide. Methods: By applying recent phylodynamic models that allow integration of individual-based travel history, we reconstructed and characterized the spatio-temporal dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 introductions and early dissemination in Portugal. Results: We detected at least 277 independent SARS-CoV-2 introductions, mostly from European countries (namely the United Kingdom, Spain, France, Italy, and Switzerland), which were consistent with the countries with the highest connectivity with Portugal. Although most introductions were estimated to have occurred during early March 2020, it is likely that SARS-CoV-2 was silently circulating in Portugal throughout February, before the first cases were confirmed. Conclusions: Here we conclude that the earlier implementation of measures could have minimized the number of introductions and subsequent virus expansion in Portugal. This study lays the foundation for genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Portugal, and highlights the need for systematic and geographically-representative genomic surveillance.
AB - Background: Genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in Portugal was rapidly implemented by the National Institute of Health in the early stages of the COVID-19 epidemic, in collaboration with more than 50 laboratories distributed nationwide. Methods: By applying recent phylodynamic models that allow integration of individual-based travel history, we reconstructed and characterized the spatio-temporal dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 introductions and early dissemination in Portugal. Results: We detected at least 277 independent SARS-CoV-2 introductions, mostly from European countries (namely the United Kingdom, Spain, France, Italy, and Switzerland), which were consistent with the countries with the highest connectivity with Portugal. Although most introductions were estimated to have occurred during early March 2020, it is likely that SARS-CoV-2 was silently circulating in Portugal throughout February, before the first cases were confirmed. Conclusions: Here we conclude that the earlier implementation of measures could have minimized the number of introductions and subsequent virus expansion in Portugal. This study lays the foundation for genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Portugal, and highlights the need for systematic and geographically-representative genomic surveillance.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85138160582&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/s43856-022-00072-0
DO - 10.1038/s43856-022-00072-0
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85138160582
SN - 2730-664X
VL - 2
JO - Communications Medicine
JF - Communications Medicine
IS - 1
M1 - 10
ER -