loading page

Genomic analysis and tracking of SARS-CoV-2 variants in Gwangju, South Korea from 2020 to 2022
  • +11
  • Yeong-Un Lee,
  • Kwangho Lee,
  • Hongsu Lee,
  • Jung wook Park,
  • Sun-Ju Cho,
  • Ji-Su Park,
  • Jeongeun Mun,
  • Su Jung Park,
  • Cheong-mi Lee,
  • Juhye Lee,
  • Jinjong Seo,
  • Yonghwan Kim,
  • Sung Hee Kim,
  • Yoon-Seok Chung
Yeong-Un Lee
Gwangju Metropolitan City Health and Environment Research Institute
Author Profile
Kwangho Lee
Gwangju Metropolitan City Health and Environment Research Institute
Author Profile
Hongsu Lee
Gwangju Metropolitan City Health and Environment Research Institute
Author Profile
Jung wook Park
Gwangju Metropolitan City Health and Environment Research Institute
Author Profile
Sun-Ju Cho
Gwangju Metropolitan City Health and Environment Research Institute
Author Profile
Ji-Su Park
Gwangju Metropolitan City Health and Environment Research Institute
Author Profile
Jeongeun Mun
Gwangju Metropolitan City Health and Environment Research Institute
Author Profile
Su Jung Park
Gwangju Metropolitan City Health and Environment Research Institute
Author Profile
Cheong-mi Lee
Gwangju Metropolitan City Health and Environment Research Institute
Author Profile
Juhye Lee
Gwangju Metropolitan City Health and Environment Research Institute
Author Profile
Jinjong Seo
Gwangju Metropolitan City Health and Environment Research Institute
Author Profile
Yonghwan Kim
Gwangju Metropolitan City Health and Environment Research Institute
Author Profile
Sung Hee Kim
Gwangju Metropolitan City Health and Environment Research Institute
Author Profile
Yoon-Seok Chung
Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency

Corresponding Author:rollstone93@korea.kr

Author Profile

Abstract

Since severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first reported in Wuhan, China in December 2019, it has spread rapidly, and many coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases have occurred in Gwangju, South Korea. Viral mutations following the COVID-19 epidemic have increased interest in the characteristics of epidemics in this region, and pathogen genetic analysis is required for infection control and prevention. In this study, SARS-CoV-2 whole-genome analysis was performed on samples from patients with COVID-19 in Gwangju from 2020 to 2022 to identify the trends in COVID-19 prevalence and to analyze the phylogenetic tree of dominant variants. B.41 and B.1.497 prevailed in 2020, the early stage of the COVID-19 outbreak; then, B.1.619.1 mainly occurred until June 2021. B.1.617.2, classified as sublineage AY.69 and AY.122, occurred continuously from July to December 2021. Since strict measures to strengthen national quarantine management had been implemented in South Korea until this time, mutations phylogenetic analysis was also able to infer the epidemiological relationship between infection transmission routes. Since the first identification of the Omicron variant in late December 2021, the spread of infection has been very rapid, and weekly whole-genome analysis of specimens has enabled us to monitor new Omicron sublineage occurring in Gwangju. Our study suggests that conducting reginal surveillance in addition to nation-level genomic surveillance will enable more rapid and detailed variant surveillance, which will be helpful in the overall prevention and management of infectious diseases.