Molecular epidemiology of a familial cluster of SARS-CoV-2 infection during lockdown period in Sant Kabir Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, India

ABSTRACT

We report a familial cluster of 24 individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2. The index case had a travel history &spent twenty four days in the house before being tested and was asymptomatic. Physical overcrowding in the house provided a favourable environment for intra-cluster infection transmission. Restriction of movement of family members due to countrywide lockdown limited the spread in community. Among the infected, only 4 individuals developed symptoms. The complete genome sequences of SARS-CoV-2 was retrieved using next-generation sequencing from eight clinical samples which demonstrated a 99.99% similarity with reference to Wuhan strain and the phylogenetic analysis demonstrated a distinct cluster, lying in the B.6.6 pangolin lineage.