Epidemiological analysis of SARS-CoV-2 variants in Saudi Arabia
The global pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 ;(SARS-CoV-2) severely affects a tremendous number of people worldwide, imposing a heavy economic burden.AimThis study describes the comprehensive epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Saudi Arabia.Materials and methodsThis retrospective observational study was performed with online available data from the World Health Organization (WHO), the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC), and the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID). The confirmed cases/deaths were analyzed from January 2020 to May 2023. The circulating clades and variants, along with their roles in infection waves, were identified. The chi-square test was used for statistical analysis.ResultsThree main waves were observed: the first wave occurred in June 2020 (n = 103,052 cases), the second wave occurred in July 2021 (n = 38,478 cases), and the third wave occurred in January 2022 (n = 127,336 cases). The number of monthly reported deaths declined significantly after the vaccines were introduced. The prominent clades/variants were GH/Beta, GK/Delta, and GRA/Omicron, which drove the main waves. Urban areas and holy places such as Riyadh and Makkah are heavily affected. The most impacted group was 20-49-year-olds.ConclusionThis study makes a significant contribution to the scientific community by providing comprehensive epidemiological data from a demographically unique country, informing future pandemic preparedness and response strategies.
SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome causing coronavirus 2) caused an epidemic that swept the globe and resulted in large number of casualties. It is still sporadically causing cases and…
The global pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 ;(SARS-CoV-2) severely affects a tremendous number of people worldwide, imposing a heavy economic burden.AimThis study…