An overview of the genetic variations of the SARS-CoV-2 genomes isolated in Southeast Asian countries.

Yap, Polly Soo Xi; Tan, Tse Siang; Chan, Yoke Fun; Tee, Kok Keng; Kamarulzaman, Adeeba; Teh, Cindy Shuan Ju

Monitoring the mutation dynamics of human severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is critical in understanding its infectivity, virulence and pathogenicity for development of a vaccine. In an "age of mobility", the pandemic highlights the importance and vulnerability of regionalisation and labour market interdependence in Southeast Asia. We intend to characterise the genetic variability of viral populations within the region to provide preliminary information for regional surveillance in the future. By analysing 142 complete genomes from South East Asian (SEA) countries, we identified three central variants distinguished by nucleotide and amino acid changes.