Evolution and epidemic spread of SARS-CoV-2 in Brazil

Brazil currently has one of the fastest-growing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) epidemics in the world. Because of limited available data, assessments of the impact of nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) on this virus spread remain challenging. Using a mobility-driven transmission model, we show that NPIs reduced the reproduction number from >3 to 1 to 1.6 in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Sequencing of 427 new genomes and analysis of a geographically representative genomic dataset identified >100 international virus introductions in Brazil. We estimate that most (76%) of the Brazilian strains fell in three clades that were introduced from Europe between 22 February and 11 March…

• FD
  Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

  Award: MR/S0195/1
• MR
  Medical Research Council

  Awards: MR/M501621/1, MR/S0195/1, MR/R015600/1, MR/S019510/1, MR/J014370/1, MC_PC_19012