Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern, Including B.1.1.28/P.1, British Columbia, Canada

Abstract

To screen all severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2–positive samples in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and determine whether they represented variants of concern, we implemented a real-time reverse transcription PCR–based algorithm. We rapidly identified 77 samples with variants: 57 with B.1.1.7, 7 with B.1.351, and an epidemiologic cluster of 13 with B.1.1.28/P.1.

Keywords

• 2019 novel coronavirus disease
• coronavirus disease
• COVID-19
• severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
• SARS-CoV-2
• viruses