Investigation of SARS-CoV-2 Epsilon Variant and Hospitalization Status by Genomic Surveillance in a Single Large Health System During the 2020-2021 Winter Surge in Southern California.

Abstract

This study aimed to assess whether the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Epsilon variant (B.1.429/427) is more virulent, leading to more hospitalization and more severe disease requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission. SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance was performed on respiratory samples from 231 unique patients, collected at a single large health system in Southern California between November 2020 and March 2021 during the winter surge. The frequencies of the Epsilon variant among outpatients, hospitalized patients, and ICU patients were indifferent. Our study suggests that the Epsilon variant is not associated with increased hospitalization and ICU admission.