Scientists claim it is now possible to effectively identify signs of COVID-19 in sewages. The results will help give health authorities an early notice of local virus outbreaks, the British government said on Friday.
Scientists started conducting tests for coronavirus in the sewages of South-West England in June. While a comparatively low number of people in the region had taken samples, the sewage sampling results revealed an increase in coronavirus material.
According to the government, the data are sent to the NHS test and trace and the local authority, who could alert local health practitioners to the heightened danger and notify residents about the rise in cases.
The program also proven its capability to find traces of genetic material from the virus in wastewater, the government said. Ministers added that the information would give local authorities information to take early steps to slow the spread of the virus.
The Department of Climate, Food, and Rural Affairs said that research had been carried out through more than 90 wastewater treatment sites in the United Kingdom, covering about 22 percent of England's population, with proposals to grow in the future.
Sampling is now ongoing at 44 sites in England, 24 locations in Wales, and 28 sections in Scotland.
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 25: Sewer worker Harry Calder (R) helps lower a visitor into the Northern Outfall Sewer at Wick Lane depot on May 25, 2016, in London, England. The sewer was designed by British engineer Joseph Bazalgette following the 'Great Stink' of 1858 and is today worked on by sewer technicians known as 'Flushers'. Thames Watermarks Sewage Week this week with a series of events inviting members of the public down into the underground sewer network and around the Abbey Mills pumping station in east London.
Successful Pilot
Environment Secretary George Eustice said: "This is a significant step forward in giving us a clearer idea of infection rates both nationally and locally, particularly in areas where there may be large numbers of people who aren't showing any symptoms and therefore aren't seeking tests.
"NHS test and trace [can] use the science to ensure local health leads are alerted and can take action."
The government denied that the virus' existence was a danger to humans in untreated wastewater, citing a report by Bangor University that showed that feces' risk was very remote.
The opinion of the World Health Organisation is that the risk of coronavirus transmission via sewerage networks is exceedingly low or zero. According to the WHO, no cases of fecal-oral transmission of Covid-19 have been recorded to date.
However, a recent paper by scientists at the University of Stirling cautioned that in the fight to protect human health, the possible spread of the virus through sewage "must not be ignored."
Rising Number of Outbreak is Alarming
News of the sewage monitoring system arrives at a period of rising alarm over the size of water firms' release of untreated sewage into waterways and seas.
Data collected by the Guardian in 2019 showed that water firms dumped 204,134 untreated waste into rivers spanning a span of 1.5 million hours.
Surfers Against Sewage's Hugo Tagholm, who is fighting to avoid the discharge of untreated sewage by flood overflows into waterways and seas, said sewage monitoring for Covid-19 was more proof that water firms can take immediate measures to eliminate the vast amount of sewage spills into our rivers and oceans that they preside over each year.
"This also shows why real-time information about sewage spills at popular recreational beaches and rivers is so important to safeguard public health," he said.
ALSO READ: New Study Suggesting Coronavirus Started March Last Year in Spain Casts Doubts
Check out more news and information on COVID-19 at Science Times.