Countries ponder wider wastewater testing amid hope airports offer China COVID-19 clues
Reuters
Published Jan 11, 2023 06:53AM ET
Updated Jan 11, 2023 01:53PM ET
By Jennifer Rigby
LONDON (Reuters) - An international meeting this week will discuss setting up a global system of wastewater monitoring for COVID-19, including at airports, after several countries said they would start tests on flights coming from China.
Countries including the United States and Australia have moved to set up wastewater testing on flights and in airports amid a surge of cases in China. The European Union also recommends a similar measure and has drawn up guidelines for member states.
Numerous studies have shown that such testing has been effective for tracking COVID-19 during the course of the pandemic, particularly when combined with genomic sequencing techniques to identify emerging variants.
One expert said the measure was useful when countries either will not, or lack the capacity to provide information on the circulating variants causing surges in COVID-19 cases in their territories.
"It lights a candle in the darkness," Bernd Gawlik, who co-authored the EU guidelines as the lead on water quality at the European Commission, told Reuters.
The talks are part of a broader push to keep up momentum on wastewater sampling and bring together national efforts into a more cohesive global picture.
It is also becoming more important as routine testing has waned - the World Health Organization says testing for COVID-19 has declined by 90% in recent months.
There are hopes that establishing a more formal wastewater surveillance network worldwide could provide information not only on COVID-19, but also on other emerging disease threats.
However, there are technical and logistical challenges ahead, Gawlik said, including how to handle samples and how to interpret and use the information gathered.
Get The News You Want
Written By: Reuters
Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.