Scientists said that the science of wastewater monitoring can be applied in various countries of the world to help monitor the spread of the Corona pandemic locally, which will reduce the need for large-scale testing.
Experts in this field known as epidemiology of wastewater say that as countries begin to loosen public isolation restrictions imposed by Corona, research in wastewater can help indicate the presence of the virus in monitoring it and tackling its outbreaks.
Initial mini-studies conducted by scientific teams in the Netherlands, France, Australia and elsewhere found indications of the possibility of monitoring (Covid-19) caused by corona infection in wastewater.
"Most people know that they are extracting a lot of this virus through particles in droplets from the lungs, but what is not not very well known is that a smaller percentage of the virus comes out with feces," said Davy Jones, professor of environmental science at British University of Bangor.
This indicates that, on a larger scale, the analysis of wastewater samples can roughly indicate the number of infected persons in a geographical area without the need to examine each person.
"When a person is infected with Covid-19, he begins to excrete the virus into the sewage system. We take advantage of this (science) and track the movements of people's droppings," Jones said. This procedure was previously used to monitor health risks and viral diseases.
It is an effective tool in global efforts to eradicate polio as scientists have used in Britain and other countries to monitor genes resistant to antibiotics in livestock. Scientists who conduct preliminary studies on sewage contaminated with Covid-19 in Europe and Australia confirm that what they extract is not an infectious virus but rather dead molecules or parts of the genetic material of the virus that are not carriers of the infection.

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