Greek Genome Centre releases findings, breakdown of SARS-CoV-2 variants throughout the country

Greece’s National Public Health Organisation (EODY) today announced results from an analysis of 955 confirmed SARS-CoV-2 samples in Greece conducted by the Greek Genome Centre.

The samples were collected between 29 March and 20 May, 2021, and the results include a geographic breakdown of where the particular variants are concentrated.

Of the nearly 1,000 samples, 644 were characterised as Variants of Concern, and 251 as Variants Under Investigation (VUI).

The Greek Genome Centre was created some ago with funding from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.

“The Greek Genome Centre has been at the core of Greece’s effort to study the coronavirus genome and cases of COVID-19 since April 2020. In January 2021, with new variants of the virus threatening to reverse hard-earned progress, a decision by the Prime Minister of Greece created the National Network of Genomic Monitoring for SARS-CoV-2 to detect and monitor variants. At SNF, we are proud of our collaboration with the Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens (BRFAA), which led, a few years ago, to the creation of the Greek Genome Centre,” the Foundation stated in a social media post in March.»

Of the 664 Variants of Concern, 663 concern Β.1.1.7/UK lineage (Variant VOC 202012/01) and one involves B.1.617.2 (VOC-21APR-02).

The 251 samples of Variants Under Investigation concern B.1.1.318 (Variant E484K).

There were three samples with variant B.1.1.523 (Variant E484K), and four samples with variant AD.2, and one sample of variant Β.1.221.

Since its establishment in January, National Network of Genomic Monitoring for SARS-CoV-2 has studied 14,240 samples from confirmed domestic cases.

The three most common variants that have been isolated are Β.1.1.7/UK lineage [Variant VOC 202012/01], which is by far the most prevalent with 68.97 percent, followed by B.1.1.318 [Variant E484K] (10,34 percent) and lastly variant B.1.351/501Y.V2/South Africa [Variant VOC 202012/02 (0.55 percent).