In a study just published in Communications Medicine by the Virology Unit at the Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, in collaboration with Cambodian and international partners, showcases Cambodia’s extraordinary success in managing COVID-19 and responding to emerging variants. Remarkably, Cambodia kept COVID-19 largely at bay throughout 2020 thanks to stringent surveillance, border control, and quarantine measures. It wasn’t until February 2021 that a superspreader event introduced Alpha, leading to the country’s first major wave of community transmission. Cambodia’s response was swift and effective: a nationwide vaccination campaign was launched, rapidly achieving one of the highest vaccination rates in the region. Despite these efforts, the Delta variant entered through border provinces later in 2021, driving a second wave. This study details the genomic analysis of the introduction, tracing, spread, and genetic evolution of the Alpha and Delta variants in Cambodia. This study highlights not only the challenges posed by Alpha and Delta but also demonstrating the power of genomic surveillance to inform public health strategies. 

For more information: https://www.nature.com/articles/s43856-024-00685-7