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Contributors
- Martina Reichmuth, Emma Hodcroft, Julien Riou, Christian L. Althaus, Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Manuel Schibler, Isabella Eckerle, Laurent Kaiser, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Franziska Suter, Institute for Infectious Diseases, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Michael Huber, Alexandra Trkola, Institute of Medical Virology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Barbara Hasse, Jakob Nilsson, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Roberto Buonomano, Spital Limmattal, Schlieren, Switzerland
- Alexander Wepf, Urs Karrer, Kantonsspital Winterthur, Winterthur, Switzerland
- Richard Neher, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
Contact: christian.althaus@ispm.unibe.ch
Summary
- The proportion of SARS-CoV-2 variants (501Y, B.1.1.7) among confirmed cases has increased rapidly in Switzerland.
- The increase in the proportion of SARS-CoV-2 variants (501Y, B.1.1.7) in Geneva is around two weeks ahead of the rest of Switzerland.
- We estimate an increase in transmissibility of around 50% for the new SARS-CoV-2 variants (501Y, B.1.1.7).
- The findings underline the importance of efficient control measures in order to prevent an increase in SARS-CoV-2 incidence in Switzerland.
Results
Three recently detected variants (B.1.1.7, B.1.351, P.1) of SARS-CoV-2 have been detected in various countries worldwide including Switzerland. We aim at tracking the spread of these variants in the cantons of Geneva, Bern, and Zurich, and in Switzerland overall. As a comparison, we also provide an analysis of the spread of B.1.1.7 in Denmark. Finally, we estimate the current proportion of the variants for a given region and their increased transmissibility.