A year of genomic surveillance reveals how the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic unfolded in Africa
Authors: Wilkinson Eduan , Giovanetti Marta , Tegally Houriiyah , San James E. , Lessells Richard , Cuadros Diego , Martin Darren P. , Rasmussen David A. , Zekri Abdel-Rahman N. , Sangare Abdoul K. , Ouedraogo Abdoul-Salam , Sesay Abdul K. , Priscilla Abechi , Kemi Adedotun-Sulaiman , Olubusuyi Adewunmi M. , Oluwapelumi Adeyemi O. O. , Hammami Adnène , Amuri Adrienne A. , Sayed Ahmad , Ouma Ahmed E. O. , Elargoubi Aida , Ajayi Nnennaya A. , Victoria Ajogbasile F. , Kazeem Akano , George Akpede , Trotter Alexander J. , Yahaya Ali A. , Keita Alpha K. , Diallo Amadou , Kone Amadou , Souissi Amal , Chtourou Amel , Gutierrez Ana V. , Page Andrew J. , Vinze Anika , Iranzadeh Arash , Lambisia Arnold , Ismail Arshad , Rosemary Audu , Sylverken Augustina , Femi Ayoade , Ibrahimi Azeddine , Marycelin Baba , Oderinde Bamidele S. , Bolajoko Bankole , Dhaala Beatrice , Herring Belinda L. , Njanpop-Lafourcade Berthe-Marie , Kleinhans Bronwyn , McInnis Bronwyn , Tegomoh Bryan , Brook Cara , Pratt Catherine B. , Scheepers Cathrine , Akoua-Koffi Chantal G. , Agoti Charles N. , Peyrefitte Christophe , Daubenberger Claudia , Morang’a Collins M. , Nokes D. James , Amoako Daniel G. , Bugembe Daniel L. , Park Danny , Baker David , Doolabh Deelan , Ssemwanga Deogratius , Tshiabuila Derek , Bassirou Diarra , Amuzu Dominic S. Y. , Goedhals Dominique , Omuoyo Donwilliams O. , Maruapula Dorcas , Foster-Nyarko Ebenezer , Lusamaki Eddy K. , Simulundu Edgar , Ong’era Edidah M. , Ngabana Edith N. , Shumba Edwin , El Fahime Elmostafa , Lokilo Emmanuel , Mukantwari Enatha , Philomena Eromon , Belarbi Essia , Simon-Loriere Etienne , Anoh Etilé A. , Leendertz Fabian , Ajili Faida , Enoch Fakayode O. , Wasfi Fares , Abdelmoula Fatma , Mosha Fausta S. , Takawira Faustinos T. , Derrar Fawzi , Bouzid Feriel , Onikepe Folarin , Adeola Fowotade , Muyembe Francisca M. , Tanser Frank , Dratibi Fred A. , Mbunsu Gabriel K. , Thilliez Gaetan , Kay Gemma L. , Githinji George , van Zyl Gert , Awandare Gordon A. , Schubert Grit , Maphalala Gugu P. , Ranaivoson Hafaliana C. , Lemriss Hajar , Anise Happi , Abe Haruka , Karray Hela H. , Nansumba Hellen , Elgahzaly Hesham A. , Gumbo Hlanai , Smeti Ibtihel , Ayed Ikhlas B. , Odia Ikponmwosa , Ben Boubaker Ilhem Boutiba , Gaaloul Imed , Gazy Inbal , Mudau Innocent , Ssewanyana Isaac , Konstantinus Iyaloo , Lekana-Douk Jean B. , Makangara Jean-Claude C. , Tamfum Jean-Jacques M. , Heraud Jean-Michel , Shaffer Jeffrey G. , Giandhari Jennifer , Li Jingjing , Yasuda Jiro , Mends Joana Q. , Kiconco Jocelyn , Morobe John M. , Gyapong John O. , Okolie Johnson C. , Kayiwa John T. , Edwards Johnathan A. , Gyamfi Jones , Farah Jouali , Nakaseegu Joweria , Ngoi Joyce M. , Namulondo Joyce , Andeko Julia C. , Lutwama Julius J. , O’Grady Justin , Siddle Katherine , Adeyemi Kayode T. , Tumedi Kefentse A. , Said Khadija M. , Hae-Young Kim , Duedu Kwabena O. , Belyamani Lahcen , Fki-Berrajah Lamia , Singh Lavanya , Martins Leonardo de O. , Tyers Lynn , Ramuth Magalutcheemee , Mastouri Maha , Aouni Mahjoub , el Hefnawi Mahmoud , Matsheka Maitshwarelo I. , Kebabonye Malebogo , Diop Mamadou , Turki Manel , Paye Marietou , Nyaga Martin M. , Mareka Mathabo , Damaris Matoke-Muhia , Mburu Maureen W. , Mpina Maximillian , Nwando Mba , Owusu Michael , Wiley Michael R. , Youtchou Mirabeau T. , Ayekaba Mitoha O. , Abouelhoda Mohamed , Seadawy Mohamed G. , Khalifa Mohamed K. , Sekhele Mooko , Ouadghiri Mouna , Diagne Moussa M. , Mwenda Mulenga , Allam Mushal , Phan My V. T. , Abid Nabil , Touil Nadia , Rujeni Nadine , Kharrat Najla , Ismael Nalia , Dia Ndongo , Mabunda Nedio , Hsiao Nei-yuan , Silochi Nelson B. , Nsenga Ngoy , Gumede Nicksy , Mulder Nicola , Ndodo Nnaemeka , Razanajatovo Norosoa H , Iguosadolo Nosamiefan , Judith Oguzie , Kingsley Ojide C. , Sylvanus Okogbenin , Peter Okokhere , Femi Oladiji , Idowu Olawoye , Testimony Olumade , Chukwuma Omoruyi E. , Ogah Onwe E. , Onwuamah Chika K. , Cyril Oshomah , Faye Ousmane , Tomori Oyewale , Ondoa Pascale , Combe Patrice , Semanda Patrick , Oluniyi Paul E. , Arnaldo Paulo , Quashie Peter K. , Dussart Philippe , Bester Phillip A. , Mbala Placide K. , Ayivor-Djanie Reuben , Njouom Richard , Phillips Richard O. , Gorman Richmond , Kingsley Robert A. , Carr Rosina A. A. , El Kabbaj Saâd , Gargouri Saba , Masmoudi Saber , Sankhe Safietou , Lawal Salako B. , Kassim Samar , Trabelsi Sameh , Metha Samar , Kammoun Sami , Lemriss Sanaâ , Agwa Sara H. A. , Calvignac-Spencer Sébastien , Schaffner Stephen F. , Doumbia Seydou , Mandanda Sheila M. , Aryeetey Sherihane , Ahmed Shymaa S. , Elhamoumi Siham , Andriamandimby Soafy , Tope Sobajo , Lekana-Douki Sonia , Prosolek Sophie , Ouangraoua Soumeya , Mundeke Steve A. , Rudder Steven , Panji Sumir , Pillay Sureshnee , Engelbrecht Susan , Nabadda Susan , Behillil Sylvie , Budiaki Sylvie L. , van der Werf Sylvie , Mashe Tapfumanei , Aanniz Tarik , Mohale Thabo , Le-Viet Thanh , Schindler Tobias , Anyaneji Ugochukwu J. , Chinedu Ugwu , Ramphal Upasana , Jessica Uwanibe , George Uwem , Fonseca Vagner , Enouf Vincent , Gorova Vivianne , Roshdy Wael H. , Ampofo William K. , Preiser Wolfgang , Choga Wonderful T. , Bediako Yaw , Naidoo Yeshnee , Butera Yvan , de Laurent Zaydah R. , Sall Amadou A. , Rebai Ahmed , von Gottberg Anne , Kouriba Bourema , Williamson Carolyn , Bridges Daniel J. , Chikwe Ihekweazu , Bhiman Jinal N. , Mine Madisa , Cotten Matthew , Moyo Sikhulile , Gaseitsiwe Simani , Saasa Ngonda , Sabeti Pardis C. , Kaleebu Pontiano , Tebeje Yenew K. , Tessema Sofonias K. , Happi Christian , Nkengasong John , de Oliveira Tulio 
Published: October 2021

SARS-CoV-2 across Africa

The impact of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has been hard to track in African countries, largely because of patchy data. Wilkinson
et al
. curated viral genomes collected in 2021 from several countries across the continent. Outbreaks during 2020 in each African country were initiated by imported cases, mostly from Europe. As the pandemic developed, case numbers in African countries were likely many times higher than reported, and subsequent waves of the pandemic appear to have been more severe. Consequently, high-transmission variants have emerged that have spread within the continent, and African countries must be included in global control efforts. —CA