Genomic Epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Nepal
This project enhanced Nepal's pandemic preparedness by analyzing over 3,500 SARS-CoV-2 genomes to understand virus evolution, transmission patterns, and variant emergence.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 severely impacted Nepal, with over a million infections and significant loss of life. While thousands of SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences from Nepal have been publicly shared, a comprehensive investigation into these cases has not yet been conducted. Understanding virus variants, their origins, and spread is crucial for future pandemic preparedness.
Our goal is to conduct a comprehensive genomic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 in Nepal, investigating genetic diversity, evolutionary patterns, and epidemiological trends. We aim to identify early local transmission chains and develop bioinformatics pipelines that can be rapidly deployed in future epidemics for quick insights and interventions.
The project developed a computational pipeline to analyze over 3,500 genomes and created the Nepal SARS-CoV-2 Genome Database on Nextstrain, offering interactive phylogenetic insights into virus variants and transmission patterns. This infrastructure supports rapid genomic surveillance and strengthens Nepal’s capacity for epidemic response.
Nextstrain Nepal SARS-CoV-2 Genome Database: View