Mumbai: BMC's Wastewater Sample Survey Hits a Roadblock Indicating Low COVID-19 Prevalence
by Suraj V. Digital Marketing (sr. SEO Expert)According to a latest reports
revealed by the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, nearly 10-15 per
cent wastewater samples have shown the
presence of COVID-19.
With this, the scientific probe has hit a roadblock indicating low prevalence
of coronavirus in
Mumbai as less than 50 of the 300 wastewater samples tested for coronavirus via
RT-PCR returned positive.
The civic body is now increasing
the number of locations and will collect a greater number of wastewater samples
from pumping stations, areas near dumping grounds, and hospitals. However,
genome sequencing has been delayed as a minimum of 375 positive samples are
required for the exercise, said BMC
official Suresh Kakani.
Explaining about the process, he
further stated that the water samples are being collected from 19 places in
Mumbai such as pumping stations, dumping grounds, and manholes. The machine can
run 375 samples at once for genome sequencing, but the viral load of the samples
should be high, he added.
Earlier, they had collected the samples from
16 areas in Mumbai mainly near hospitals and manholes.
Health experts have said that
continuous monitoring of wastewater samples for COVID-19 will play a key role
in the coming days.
Reports stated that since the
inauguration of a genome sequencing machine in BMC’s Kasturba Hospital, the
corporation has carried out 7 of the 10 surveys for genome sequencing to
understand the pattern of spread in the community.
For those unversed, the civic body, in March, had decided to
undertake genome sequencing of sewage water samples to monitor the presence
or emergence of the variants. This development comes amid a significant drop in
the number of people testing positive for COVID-19 and getting hospitalised in
Mumbai.
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Created on Apr 13th 2022 07:32. Viewed 150 times.