As the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 continues to spread in all countries, there is a growing interest in monitoring and understanding the impact of emerging strains on virus transmission and disease severity. Here, we analyzed SARS-CoV-2 genomic sequences reported in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) countries, as of 1 January 2021. The majority (~75%) of these sequences originated from three out of 22 EMR countries, and 65.8% of all sequences belonged to GISAID clades GR, GH, G and GV. A delay ranging between 30 and 150 days from sample collection to sequence submission was observed across all countries, limiting the utility of such data in informing public health policies. We identified ten common non-synonymous mutations represented among SARS-CoV-2 in the EMR and several country-specific ones. Two substitutions, spike_D614G and NSP12_P323L, were predominantly concurrent in most countries. While the single incidence of NSP12_P323L was positively correlated with higher case fatality rates in EMR, no such association was established for the double (spike_D614G and NSP12_P323L) concurrent variant across the region. Our study identified critical data gaps in EMR highlighting the importance of enhancing surveillance and sequencing capacities in the region.
【저자키워드】 SARS-CoV-2, RBD, receptor-binding domain, variants, Case fatality rate, N, nucleocapsid, S, spike, RdRp, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, HCoV, human coronavirus, WHO, World Health Organization, NSP, Non-structural Proteins, E, Envelope, whole genome, hACE2, human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, M, membrane, ORF, open reading frames, CFR, case fatality rate, UAE, United Arab Emirates, East Mediterranean Region, EMR, Eastern Mediterranean Region, SPSS, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, AUB, American University of Beirut, CNRS-L, National Council for Scientific Research of Lebanon,