Genetics confirm infection timelines

A LOCAL study analysing the origins of early coronavirus cases in the region has been released.

Geelong Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases director Soren Alexandersen said the study aimed to determine whether the genetic sequence of the virus fitted with the travel history for a particular person, looking at those returning to the Greater Geelong area after overseas travel that required self-isolation.

“We wanted to see if cases fit with having travelled, whether it is a clear indication and supports the fact that people became infected based on where they had been,” Prof Alexandersen said.

“We determined a clear sequence from our small sample size of four people local to Geelong, tested between March 7 and April 14.

“It’s important to know whether these people were infected from travel or the community, and our findings were able to support their stories of travelling to these places in the US and Europe.”

Thirteen positive samples from a total of eight individuals were identified and included in the study.

Of the eight infected individuals included in the study, near full virus sequences from four individuals were obtained.

Of those, the first known introduction to the region was a case tested on March 7, from someone who had recently travelled to the US.

The four cases also included in the study people tested on March 23 and March 28, who had recently travelled to the UK or mainland Europe.

The fourth case had recently returned from the UK, and was tested on March 24.