Epidemiologists to test sewage in Karachi for presence of coronavirus and its concentration
July 15, 2021
Public health researchers are set to evaluate the feasibility of a faster way to detect new cases of Covid-19 in Karachi, according to a statement issued by the Aga Khan University on Tuesday.
Infectious disease epidemiologists from the Aga Khan University, the National Institute of Health, Islamabad, and the World Health Organisation’s Pakistan Office will collaborate with Karachi’s District Health Office, East, to pilot a sewage surveillance system that will regularly test wastewater samples for the presence of the coronavirus and its concentration.
They are building on work by health authorities in several countries such as the US, Canada, Australia and several European nations to set up extensive sewage surveillance systems. These systems have helped detect high concentrations of the virus in sewage a week to ten days before cases would rise, enabling public health authorities to take prompt action to contain the spread of the disease.