First report of SARS-CoV-2 lineage B.1.1.7 (alpha variant) in Ecuador, January 2021

Carrazco-Montalvo A.; Bruno A.; de Mora D.; Olmedo M.; Garces J.; Paez M.; Regato-Arrata M.; Gonzalez M.; Romero J.; Mestanza O.; Freirepaspuel B.; Gaviria A.; Orlando S.; Garcia-Bereguiain M.A.; Patino L. · Infection and Drug Resistance (2021) · DOI: 10.2147/idr.s319439

Resumen

On January 5 2021, Ecuadorian COVID-19 genomic surveillance program detected a suspicious case of the B.1.1.7 lineage (alpha variant) of SARS-CoV-2 in Los Rios province, later confirmed by genome sequencing. The patient travelled from the UK by the end of December 2020. By contact tracing, several new cases were detected confirming B.1.1.7 transmission and spreading in Ecuador.