Recombination between SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 variants identified in a traveller from Nepal at the airport quarantine facility in Japan

Tsuyoshi Sekizuka; Masumichi Saito; Kentaro Itokawa; Naobumi Sasaki; Rina Tanaka; Satsuki Eto; Risa Someno; Akina Ogamino; Eiichi Yokota; Tomoya Saito; Makoto Kuroda

doi:10.1093/jtm/taac051

Recombination between SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 variants identified in a traveller from Nepal at the airport quarantine facility in Japan

J Travel Med. 2022 Sep 17;29(6):taac051. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taac051.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Pathogen Genomics Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan.
² Center for Emergency Preparedness and Response, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan.
³ Department of Virology II.

Abstract

We have detected novel SARS-CoV-2 variants at the airport quarantine facility in Japan. This study revealed novel Omicron recombinant in a traveller visiting from Nepal, suggesting a possibility of its further dissemination in surrounding countries with limited sequencing capacity. Quarantine monitoring could aid timely response to avoid global dissemination.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Airports
COVID-19* / prevention & control
Humans
Japan
Nepal / epidemiology
Quarantine*
Recombination, Genetic
SARS-CoV-2 / genetics