Tiruchi Corporation in collaboration with Swasti – Health Catalyst, a public health organisation in Bengaluru, and Centre for Research in Environment, Sustainable Advocacy and Climate Change (REACH) of SRM Institute of Science & Technology, Kattankulathur, has set up a wastewater surveillance platform for testing environmental samples for SARS-CoV-2 in the city.
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The surveillance platform is a cost-effective technique for early signalling of epidemic and pandemic infections, including COVID-19. The project affords governing authorities the ability to monitor the prevalence of infections among the population and prepare for any eventualities through early signalling as fecal shedding of SARS-CoV-2 happens well before the onset of symptoms.
In a workshop conducted for the stakeholders recently, Paromita Chakraborty, Principal Investigator and Head of REACH stated that the project outcomes were the detection of SARS-CoV-2 viral load in the wastewater with a concurrence of COVID-19 cases in Tiruchi for the last 10 months. “We also undertook analysis for Influenza A and B in selected samples but did not detect their presence during the project duration,” she said.
Based on the suggestions from the government stakeholders the team have completed a screening technique for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the city using wastewater surveillance, according to a press release.