Rapid Emergence and Spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Gamma (P.1) Variant in Haiti

After an initial wave of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Haiti in summer 2020 (primarily lineage B.1), seropositivity for anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) immunoglobulin G (IgG) was similar to 40%. Variant P.1 (gamma) was introduced in February 2021, with an initially limited introduction followed by exponential local dissemination within this unvaccinated population with prior exposure to earlier SARS-CoV-2 lineages.

Automated summary

Haiti experienced an initial wave of COVID-19 in summer 2020, with an anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG seropositivity rate of about 40%. The introduction of the P.1 variant in February 2021 led to exponential local dissemination within the unvaccinated population who had prior exposure to earlier SARS-CoV-2 lineages.