Introductions and early spread of SARS-CoV-2 in France, 24 January to 23 March 2020

Euro Surveill. 2020 Jul;25(26):2001200. doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.26.2001200.

Abstract

Following SARS-CoV-2 emergence in China, a specific surveillance was implemented in France. Phylogenetic analysis of sequences retrieved through this surveillance suggests that detected initial introductions, involving non-clade G viruses, did not seed local transmission. Nevertheless, identification of clade G variants subsequently circulating in the country, with the earliest from a patient who neither travelled to risk areas nor had contact with travellers, suggests that SARS-CoV-2 might have been present before the first recorded local cases.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; outbreak surveillance; phylogeny; virus genomics.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Betacoronavirus
  • COVID-19
  • Coronavirus / classification
  • Coronavirus / genetics*
  • Coronavirus / isolation & purification
  • Coronavirus Infections / diagnosis
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology
  • Coronavirus Infections / genetics*
  • Coronavirus Infections / transmission
  • Disease Outbreaks / prevention & control*
  • France / epidemiology
  • Genome, Viral / genetics
  • Humans
  • Pandemics / prevention & control
  • Phylogeny
  • Pneumonia, Viral / diagnosis
  • Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology
  • Pneumonia, Viral / transmission
  • RNA, Viral / genetics
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Sentinel Surveillance*
  • Sequence Analysis
  • Viral Proteins / genetics

Substances

  • RNA, Viral
  • Viral Proteins