In this study, we conducted genetic surveillance and identified R.1 lineage harboring E484K mutation in RBD by whole genome sequencing. The R.1 lineage was observed in three patients and transmitted among relatives in Japan.
To investigate the global distribution of R.1 lineage, we next collected registration data from the EpiCoV of GISAID database. As of March 5, 2021, a total of 305 samples of R.1 lineage had been registered from all over the world, with the majority spread in the USA and Japan.
R.1 lineage was first reported in Texas, USA at the end of October 2020, and was found in Japan at the end of November 2020. The number of detected lineages has changed in a similar trend between the USA, Japan and other countries, implying that SARS-CoV-2 R.1 lineage may have emerged in several regions at approximately the same time.
