Genomic Epidemiology and Lineage Dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 in Bulgaria: Insights from a Three-Year Pandemic Analysis

Coronavirus Disease 2019 Lineages in a Minimally Vaccinated Island Population: Genomic Epidemiology of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 in Haiti

We monitored severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants in Haiti from 2020 to 2023. Despite Haitian coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) travel restrictions and in the setting of a vaccination rate of 2.7%, the timing and lineage evolution of the Haiti epidemic mirrored what was occurring in the rest of the world. Sources for importation of lineages into Haiti were the United States, the Dominican Republic, Europe, and Brazil, with exportation of lineages to the United States, the Dominican Republic, Europe, and Asia. Viral loads in patients infected by the Delta and Omicron BA.1 variants were correlated along the phylogenies, suggesting that higher viral loads have facilitated strain transmission and evolution.

From Emergence to Evolution: Dynamics of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant in Florida

The continual evolution of SARS-CoV-2 has significantly influenced the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the emergence of highly transmissible and immune-evasive variants posing persistent challenges. The Omicron variant, first identified in November 2021, rapidly replaced the Delta variant, becoming the predominant strain worldwide. In Florida, Omicron was first detected in December 2021, leading to an unprecedented surge in cases that surpassed all prior waves, despite extensive vaccination efforts. This study investigates the molecular evolution and transmission dynamics of the Omicron lineages during Florida's Omicron waves, supported by a robust dataset of over 1000 sequenced genomes. Through phylogenetic and phylodynamic analyses, we capture the rapid diversification of the Omicron lineages, identifying significant importation events, predominantly from California, Texas, and New York, and exportation to North America, Europe, and South America. Variants such as BA.1, BA.2, BA.4, and BA.5 exhibited distinct transmission patterns, with BA.2 showing the ability to reinfect individuals previously infected with BA.1. Despite the high transmissibility and immune evasion of the Omicron sub-lineages, the plateauing of cases by late 2022 suggests increasing population immunity from prior infection and vaccination. Our findings underscore the importance of continuous genomic surveillance in identifying variant introductions, mapping transmission pathways, and guiding public health interventions to mitigate current and future pandemic risks.

Urban residents' self-rescue in response to public health emergencies in China: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

The abject uncertainty and unpredictability of public health emergencies have plagued various countries. Global health governance and international communities are facing long-term and arduous challenges. The self-rescue ability of individuals in a public emergency may be the most powerful trait to improve the survival rate outside the hospital. The study explores the cognitive ability and attitudes of urban residents in China towards self-rescue in response to public health emergencies. It provides appropriate evidence for improving the self-rescue ability of urban residents in China.

METHODS

Sixteen urban residents were selected using the purposive sampling method for semi-structured interviews. Theme analysis was used to collate and analyse the interview data.

RESULTS

Two themes and five sub-themes were analysed. The two themes included cognition and attitude of Chinese urban residents for self-rescue in an emergency. Urban residents believed that their knowledge and skills for self-rescue in an emergency were low. The ability for emergency self-rescue is affected by multiple factors, with relatively limited options for improvement. Nonetheless, the respondents expressed a desire to accept interventions under psychological crisis and a strong willingness to acquire knowledge and skills required for emergency self-rescue.

CONCLUSION

This study investigated the perceptions and attitudes of Chinese urban residents towards emergency self-rescue. The results support enhanced ability of urban residents to respond to public health emergencies, thereby diminishing the negative outcomes. The findings suggest the need for strategies to address the factors affecting emergency self-rescue.