Absence of climatic factors influence on the prevalence of COVID-19 in Benin: A spatiotemporal analysis

Epidemiological surveillance of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection remains crucial at the waning stage of the pandemic. It helps monitor the persistence of infection within the community and strengthens preparedness for future health crises. The aim of this study was to track the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 infection in southern Benin in 2022, while assessing the impact of climatic factors on disease transmission and severity. SARS-CoV-2 screening was performed using RT-qPCR on nasopharyngeal swabs collected from patients presenting at health centers in Cotonou, Sakété, and Cômè between January and December 2022. Samples that tested positive were sequenced using nanopore sequencing technology. The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection was 8.01% among 4,382 participants. Three distinct variants were identified: Alpha (1%), Eta (8%), and Omicron (53%), along with unclassified variants (38%). No statistically significant association was found between infection status and demographic variables such as age or sex. Furthermore, infection dynamics showed no marked seasonality, suggesting transmission independent of climatic variations. This study highlights the complexity of viral spread in this region and underscores the importance of sustained epidemiological vigilance and preventive measures. These efforts remain essential to control viral transmission, particularly in the presence of circulating variants such as Omicron.