COVID-19 genome surveillance at international airport quarantine stations in Japan

Abstract

Highlight A coronavirus disease (COVID-19) genome surveillance has been conducted at four international airports in Japan, revealing a potential imported COVID-19 risk from multiple countries. The quarantine surveillance based on genome sequencing can enhance sequencing efforts worldwide, as returning travelers may serve as excellent sentinels for the global pandemic.

A discernable increase in the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 R.1 lineage carrying an E484K spike protein mutation in Japan

“…1 ). After the first wave (March to April 2020), an effort to monitor airport quarantine was initiated; this measure was successful in reducing the number of imported cases ( Sekizuka et al, 2021 ). Domestic lineages (B.1.1.284 and B.1.1.214), which may have been derived phylogenetically from B.1.1.162 during the first wave, were predominant during the second s, however, only the domestic lineages were predominant and not the imported ones.…”

“…As of March 31, 2021, Japan reported 475,043 cases and 9175 deaths due to coronavirus disease (COVID-19), some of which were caused by variants of concern (VOCs). We conducted genome surveillance for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) with support from local public health centers or laboratory institutes ( Itokawa et al, 2020 ; Sekizuka et al, 2020 ) and five airport quarantine stations (Narita, Haneda, Nagoya, Kansai, and Fukuoka airports; Sekizuka et al, 2021 ). During the surveillance, we monitored several VOCs of the PANGO lineage, namely B.1.1.7 (501Y.V1), B.1.351 (501Y.V2), and P.1 (501Y·V3; Fujino et al, 2021 ) which have emerged in the past months in all countries.…”

How does China keep COVID-19 outside its border? First-hand experience of medical staff at an international airport in China

“… 3 Appropriate management of individuals travelled from abroad including mandatory quarantine and monitoring of quarantined individuals are of great importance to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission. 4 Since the uncertainty of COVID-19 spread risk in the incoming resumption of foreign air travel, 5 more stricter measures may be warranted. In this paper, we aimed to provide several practical suggestions through introducing the COVID-19 controlling experience of China.…”

Discovery of SARS-CoV-2 strain of P.1 lineage harboring K417T/ E484K / N501Y by whole genome sequencing in the city, Japan

“…On January 6, 2021, the NIID detected a new emerging strain (P.1 lineage) of SARS-CoV-2 at airport quarantine in four travelers who arrived from Brazil on 2 nd January 2021 [30-32] (Table 1). Subsequently, almost of P.1 lineage discovered in Manaus in Brazil and gradually spread worldwide [10, 11].…”