Wastewater test could track spread of Covid-19

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is a well-established testing approach and regularly features in headlines when used to gauge illegal drug use in different parts of the world. The researchers, from Cranfield University and China’s Institute of Geochemistry, believe the same method can be used to detect levels of Covid-19 infection in communities. This could in term inform individual testing and help better track and fight the coronavirus.

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"In the case of asymptomatic infections in the community or when people are not sure whether they are infected or not, real-time community sewage detection through paper analytical devices could determine whether there are Covid-19 carriers in an area to enable rapid screening, quarantine and prevention,” said Dr Zhugen Yang, lecturer in Sensor Technology at Cranfield Water Science Institute.

"If Covid-19 can be monitored in a community at an early stage through WBE, effective intervention can be taken as early as possible to restrict the movements of that local population, working to minimise the pathogen spread and threat to public health."