Early detection of P.1 variant of SARS-CoV-2 in a cluster of cases in Salvador, Brazil

Abstract

We report 3 cases of severe COVID-19 due to the SARS-CoV-2 P.1 lineage in a familial cluster detected in Salvador, Bahia-Brazil. All cases were linked to travel by family members from the state of Amazonas to Bahia in late December 2020. This report indicates the cryptic transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 P.1 lineage across Brazil and highlights the importance of genomic surveillance to track the emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2 P.1 lineage; SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern.