Greece’s National Genomic Surveillance Network has identified a total of 2,898 UK and 56 South African variants of SARS-CoV-2 in the country.
The 56 positive strains of the South Africa variant mutations were all domestic: 47 came from the regional unit of Thessaloniki, two from Ioannina, five from Attica, one from Etoloakarnania and one from the Iraklio.
According to the genomic analysis of 475 samples conducted January 30 – March 13, 2021:
423 cases of the UK mutations (Β.1.1.7/UK lineage (Variant VOC_202012) have been detected. The samples came from the Regional Units of Western Greece, Epirus, Thessaly and Attica as well as from Lefkada, Kalymnos, Rhodes, Lesvos, Fthiotida and Evia.
18 are under investigation with VUI strain referred to B.1.1.318 (Variant_E484K)
1 sample Lineage B.1.351/South Africa (Variant 501.V2)