COVID-19 detection system in wastewater
About the project
COVIDETECT research project aims to create an early warning system to anticipate new waves of the new coronavirus at a certain location, through wastewater testing, as well as to understand what the true amount of infection is out in the community, and to detect the reemergence of SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19. A tool will also be developed aiming at the detection, quantification, characterization and modelling of the virus in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). COVIDETECT stems from the evidence of fecal excretion (not excluding urinary excretion) of the causative agent of COVID-19 in infected individuals. The regular monitoring of the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in WWTPs, in high population density areas, will allow us to know the levels of the virus’s genetic material in wastewater and its relation with the number of confirmed cases.
Given the impossibility of testing the entire population, the incubation period of COVID-19 until the symptoms start and the presence of the virus in asymptomatic patients, wastewater testing can be an effective early warning system before community transmission. It is expected that the WWTPs have an early warning system indicating the circulation of SARS-CoV-2 in the population. This information should be reported to competent authorities, thus contributing to improve the country’s preparedness and response capacity to control potential future outbreaks.
COVIDETECT is a project created by the Ministry for Environment and Climate Action, and coordinated by Águas de Portugal. The project consortium comprises the Faculty of Sciences (Universidade de Lisboa), which is responsible for the scientific coordination of the project, the viral dynamic modelling of SARS-CoV-2, the eco-epidemiological model and the reconstruction of viral genomes; the Analysis Laboratory at Instituto Superior Técnico (Universidade de Lisboa), responsible for developing methodologies for the detection and quantification of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater; Águas do Tejo Atlântico, wastewater management entity of one of the largest metropolitan areas in the country, and the Directorate-General for Health (DGS) member of the Advisory Board. EPAL, Águas do Norte and SIMDOURO are also part of the consortium.
Team
Analysis laboratory at IST:
- Ricardo Santos
- Sílvia Monteiro
Entities
- Instituto Superior Técnico
- Ministry for Environment and Climate Action
- Águas de Portugal
- Faculty of Sciences – Universidade de Lisboa
- Águas do Tejo Atlântico
- Directorate-General of Health
- EPAL
- Águas do Norte
- SIMDOURO
Keywords
- Virology
- Waste water analysis