Tracing the international arrivals of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants after Aotearoa New Zealand reopened its border

Jordan Douglas (), David Winter, Andrea McNeill, Sam Carr, Michael Bunce, Nigel French, James Hadfield, Joep Ligt, David Welch and Jemma L. Geoghegan
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Jordan Douglas: University of Auckland
David Winter: Institute of Environmental Science and Research
Andrea McNeill: Institute of Environmental Science and Research
Sam Carr: Institute of Environmental Science and Research
Michael Bunce: Institute of Environmental Science and Research
Nigel French: Massey University
James Hadfield: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre
Joep Ligt: Institute of Environmental Science and Research
David Welch: University of Auckland
Jemma L. Geoghegan: Institute of Environmental Science and Research

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract In the second quarter of 2022, there was a global surge of emergent SARS-CoV-2 lineages that had a distinct growth advantage over then-dominant Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 lineages. By generating 10,403 Omicron genomes, we show that Aotearoa New Zealand observed an influx of these immune-evasive variants (BA.2.12.1, BA.4, and BA.5) through the border. This is explained by the return to significant levels of international travel following the border’s reopening in March 2022. We estimate one Omicron transmission event from the border to the community for every ~5,000 passenger arrivals at the current levels of travel and restriction. Although most of these introductions did not instigate any detected onward transmission, a small minority triggered large outbreaks. Genomic surveillance at the border provides a lens on the rate at which new variants might gain a foothold and trigger new waves of infection.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34186-9

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