Wastewater COVID Increase – The whole world is struggling from a deadly virus that started in November 2019 in China. Till now, it has infected more than 500 million people worldwide, and still, it is raging.
We have seen many different variants and sub-variants of the virus, starting from alpha to all the way omicron and BA.1 – BA.3. Each day scientists are trying to understand more about the virus and save humanity.
Till now, we have only discovered that if you want to stay safe, then stay away from the virus. Vaccines are a good thing, but they also have a limitation as many vaccines are not capable of fighting with new variants coming each today.
Apart from that, scientists have not come up with any medication related to coronavirus, and still, there is no Pacific treatment available for the infection. Doctors are trying different combinations to lower the severity of the symptoms, and eventually, bodies have to work hard to fight the virus.
Even though scientists have been testing wastewater for the early signs of the spread of novel coronavirus, it recently made into the news as the cases of COVID-19 work at the lowest since last year, but it shows a sudden rise In the positive cases around wastewater plants.
Now the whole situation regarding the positive cases around the wastewater plant is attracting everyone, and the general public is in fear of the new COVID wave.
Wastewater COVID increase in the US.
Recently, the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that there had been an uptick in the presence of coronavirus in wastewater samples across the whole United States.
The report came soon after the country decided to shut the masks and ease the pandemic restrictions. The virus has killed nearly 1,000,000 people in the United States alone. At the same time, the toll of deaths due to coronavirus goes up to 6 million.
Recently a media report showed that a third of the agency’s water waste sample sites have clearly shown a rise in COVID cases in the first half of March 2022. Now the experts believe the United States will soon see a fresh wave of novel coronavirus.
Even though it will be too early to comment whether the trend will continue or see a pause, the fears of the new wave are rising in the general public, and people have started to take precautions very seriously.
Experts believe we should increase the testing of sewage water as people who have been infected shared the virus in sewage pipes before PCR. Apart from the wastewater, if people suddenly start getting themselves tested more than ever before, then it could be an indication that something is happening.
Canada Wastewater COVID increase
The wastewater COVID increase using not just the problem of the United States of America, but it has spread in the whole world also. Recently, in a Canadian province, Alberta has also indicated that new COVID-19 infection has been rising, and they got the initial indication from the wastewater readings.
The University of Calgary Center for health informatics created a dashboard where you can easily check the data of Alberta related to COVID-19, and it is showing a huge surge. Experts believe the wastewater is letting everyone know that the virus is spreading without making any noise, and it is becoming more dangerous.
Even though the number of positive cases was way higher during the omicron wave, anything is possible, and we know every time COVID comes back with a new wave, it surpasses the previous levels.
Rest of the world’s situation
Apart from North America, many countries have seen a sudden surge in the rate of wastewater COVID positive. Recently, the relevant authorities found traces of COVID-19 in Mumbai, India, and Johannesburg, South Africa.
Several studies were done in London, the United Kingdom, have also clearly indicated that wastewater data has become a valuable asset in determining the COVID level within the community.
Even in the United Kingdom, the positive cases of novel coronavirus are increasing at rapid speed. The authorities in the United Kingdom find that they have seen a 300% surge in positive cases as compared to February 2022.
As per the professor from a western university in the United Kingdom, the testing of novel coronavirus is going down, and now you can not rely on the daily case counts because the government is not doing enough cases.
From here on, you have to take a look at other options also, and one of them is wastewater data. It cannot be ignored as it has been showing really good potential. The wastewater data has become a leading indicator in determining whether the new wave of novel coronavirus is coming or not.
Stand of CDC on Wastewater Surveillance
In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, along with the national Wastewater surveillance system, issued a joint statement regarding the wastewater COVID increase.
The CDC clearly said in its statement, they launched a national wastewater surveillance system in September 2020 to cope with the COVID-19, and it is becoming one of the biggest assets and leading indicators to predict the future.
The national wastewater surveillance system is responsible for collecting samples from different wastewater sites on a daily basis to do regular testing. Any change in the situation and positive cases around the site is being taken very seriously.
Early signs of spread
In its statement, the Center for Disease Control and prevention clearly mentioned that they believe wastewater surveillance can provide an early warning of the fresh spread in the community.
Usually, people can shed the virus before they even start developing any symptoms. The virus stays in our body without doing anything for more than two or three days, and that is the time which is very crucial to contain the spread.
The wastewater system can also detect the spread of novel coronavirus without any symptoms, and it has become one of the biggest assets for the country.
Apart from that, if a community does not want to get themselves tested regularly, then the ways voter data can also become one of the biggest tools to predict the near future of the virus in the community.
Importance of wastewater surveillance
Now let’s talk about the importance of wastewater surveillance. There are a few groups in the United States which are opposing waste order surveillance as they believe it is clear interference in their right to privacy.
From the very first day, the federal government is trying everything to let everyone know that it is completely legal to Surveillance the wastewater, and it is very important also.
As per the Centers for Disease Control and prevention statement, wastewater surveillance captures the presence of COVID-19 in people without symptoms. As per the government, people who don’t develop any symptoms of COVID-19 are one of the most dangerous carriers of the virus.
Apart from that, it can be an early indicator that a huge number of people in a community affected by the novel coronavirus are increasing or decreasing.
At the same time, wastewater surveillance doesn’t depend on people having access to health care and taking the tests regularly. Even if a community is not taking good or no virus seriously and refusing to get themself tested, authorities can detect the seriousness of COVID-19 in the community by testing the ways to water.
Wastewater surveillance is one of the easiest ways to make sure that people are safe. In the United States, more than 80% of households use municipal wastewater collection systems, which gives tremendous room to improve the services and contain the spread.
Takeaways
The recent surge of positive COVID-19 cases around the wastewater plants has really made the whole country worried about it. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced in a statement that they see a sudden surge of positive cases around wastewater plants.
The problem of Wastewater COVID increase is not limited to the United States of America only recently the Canadian government also issued a data of wastewater surveillance that they see a sudden surge in the positive cases in Alberta province.
Apart from that, similar reports are coming from London and the whole United Kingdom. As part of that explodes, wastewater surveillance is one of the best ways to detect the rise of COVID waves, and it gives enough time to the government and responsible authorities to make room and adjustments.
Our community has a septic system. Is wastewater surveillance right for us?
As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, along with the national wastewater surveillance system, if your community has a septic system, then the wastewater surveillance won’t work on that because every single home has a different septic tank. The wastewater surveillance is only available to communities that use the municipal wastewater collection system.
