TY - JOUR
T1 - Multiple early introductions of SARS-CoV-2 into a global travel hub in the Middle East
AU - Tayoun, Ahmad Abou
AU - Loney, Tom
AU - Khansaheb, Hamda
AU - Ramaswamy, Sathishkumar
AU - Harilal, Divinlal
AU - Deesi, Zulfa Omar
AU - Varghese, Rupa Murthy
AU - Al Suwaidi, Hanan
AU - Alkhajeh, Abdulmajeed
AU - AlDabal, Laila Mohamed
AU - Uddin, Mohammed
AU - Hamoudi, Rifat
AU - Halwani, Rabih
AU - Senok, Abiola
AU - Hamid, Qutayba
AU - Nowotny, Norbert
AU - Alsheikh-Ali, Alawi
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020, The Author(s).
PY - 2020/12/1
Y1 - 2020/12/1
N2 - International travel played a significant role in the early global spread of SARS-CoV-2. Understanding transmission patterns from different regions of the world will further inform global dynamics of the pandemic. Using data from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a major international travel hub in the Middle East, we establish SARS-CoV-2 full genome sequences from the index and early COVID-19 patients in the UAE. The genome sequences are analysed in the context of virus introductions, chain of transmissions, and possible links to earlier strains from other regions of the world. Phylogenetic analysis showed multiple spatiotemporal introductions of SARS-CoV-2 into the UAE from Asia, Europe, and the Middle East during the early phase of the pandemic. We also provide evidence for early community-based transmission and catalogue new mutations in SARS-CoV-2 strains in the UAE. Our findings contribute to the understanding of the global transmission network of SARS-CoV-2.
AB - International travel played a significant role in the early global spread of SARS-CoV-2. Understanding transmission patterns from different regions of the world will further inform global dynamics of the pandemic. Using data from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a major international travel hub in the Middle East, we establish SARS-CoV-2 full genome sequences from the index and early COVID-19 patients in the UAE. The genome sequences are analysed in the context of virus introductions, chain of transmissions, and possible links to earlier strains from other regions of the world. Phylogenetic analysis showed multiple spatiotemporal introductions of SARS-CoV-2 into the UAE from Asia, Europe, and the Middle East during the early phase of the pandemic. We also provide evidence for early community-based transmission and catalogue new mutations in SARS-CoV-2 strains in the UAE. Our findings contribute to the understanding of the global transmission network of SARS-CoV-2.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85093095741&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85093095741&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/s41598-020-74666-w
DO - 10.1038/s41598-020-74666-w
M3 - Article
C2 - 33082405
AN - SCOPUS:85093095741
SN - 2045-2322
VL - 10
JO - Scientific Reports
JF - Scientific Reports
IS - 1
M1 - 17720
ER -