Country-Based COVID-19 DNA Sequence Classification in Relation with International Travel Policy

Abstract

As viruses evolve rapidly, variations in their DNA may arise due to environmental factors. This study examines the classification of COVID-19 DNA sequences based on their country of origin and analyzes their primary correlation with the country’s international travel policy. Focusing on DNA sequences from nine ASEAN countries, we conducted a two-class classification to distinguish sequences from individual countries and mixed sequences from others. The sequences were initially dissected into 200 base pair units, and a deep-learning method was employed to construct a model. Our results showcase the capacity to differentiate DNA sequences with varying accuracy for each country. Additionally, the index of international travel policy, which reflects how countries implemented varying levels of restrictions regarding inbound travel, several months before the sequence collection date, moderately correlated with the classification accuracy within each country. This finding suggests a preliminary insight that a country’s pandemic management might influence the variation in the DNA virus, determining whether these sequences will evolve distinctly from those of other countries or exhibit similarities.