Eurosurv. Introductions and early spread of SARS-CoV-2 in France, 24 January to 23 March 2020

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• Introductions and early spread of SARS-CoV-2 in France, 24 January to 23 March 2020
• Fabiana G?mbaro^1,2,3 , Sylvie Behillil^3,4,5 , Artem Baidaliuk^1,3 , Flora Donati^4,5 , M?lanie Albert^4,5 , Andreea Alexandru⁶ , Maud Vanpeene⁶ , M?line Bizard⁶ , Angela Brisebarre^4,5 , Marion Barbet^4,5 , Fawzi Derrar⁷ , Sylvie van der Werf^4,5,8 , Vincent Enouf^4,5,6,8 , Etienne Simon-Loriere^1,8

Following SARS-CoV-2 emergence in China, a specific surveillance was implemented in France. Phylogenetic analysis of sequences retrieved through this surveillance suggests that detected initial introductions, involving non-clade G viruses, did not seed local transmission. Nevertheless, identification of clade G variants subsequently circulating in the country, with the earliest from a patient who neither travelled to risk areas nor had contact with travellers, suggests that SARS-CoV-2 might have been present before the first recorded local cases.

https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.26.2001200