Nepal faced two waves of SARS-CoV-2 infections in 2020 and 2021. While daily infection and death records are maintained, genomic surveillance has been limited. Analyzing 127 sequences from Nepal in the GISAID database, this study identified alpha, delta, and kappa variants in 2021. The delta variant emerged as the dominant strain, likely driving the second wave. Phylogenetic analysis revealed local and global transmission. The research emphasizes the global spread of variants and underscores the need for public policy adjustments in Nepal. Targeting the delta variant and regular genome sequencing are suggested to comprehend variant dynamics and inform effective policies.
Research Paper
Samrat Paudel, Amol Dahal and Hitesh Kumar Bhattarai
https://doi.org/10.3390/covid1020036
MDPI
2021