US trial finds coronavirus in sewage could be early warning system
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In a preprint study of primary sewage sludge from a northeastern US metropolitan area, researchers detected SARS-CoV-2 RNA in all environmental samples and found that the concentrations of virus RNA were highly correlated with the COVID-19 epidemiological curve and local hospital admissions. The RNA concentrations were a seven-day leading indicator ahead of compiled COVID-19 testing data, and led hospital admissions by three days. Collecting environmental samples at a wastewater treatment facility does not require IRB approval.
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.19.20105999v1
Writer: Jordan Peccia et. Al
Publication: medRxiv