Initiatives of American Scientists:

 Scientists have found a new way to detect new variants of corona in America. They are checking the water of every dirty drain in the cities and detecting the virus in it. This research itself is being supported by the US Health Agency Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Corona virus is reaching like this in drains

Corona virus particles get carried away in the drains with defecation.

When the corona virus attacks our body, then it multiplies itself rapidly. Some of its particles also go into our intestines. Here the fatty particles of the virus stick to our stool. With defecation, this virus flows into the drains. Samples of this dirty water are also tested in the lab like nasal samples.

How is the drain water tested?

The name of this project is Sewer Corona Virus Network Alert (SCAN). According to a CNN report, Professor Alexandria Boehm and 45 of her team have been working on it in California for the past year. They collect water samples from different wastewater treatment plants every day. RNA, the genetic material of the virus, is extracted from these samples in the lab. Corona variants are then detected by sequencing their genome.

In the lab, the genetic material of the virus is extracted from the dirty water samples. Then its genome sequencing is done.

According to Boehm, after Omicron's first alert was received in South Africa in November 2021, his team began testing the variant in their area's Westwater. By the time the World Health Organization (WHO) named this variant, samples of many drains in America had come positive for it. This means, Omicron had already spread to many countries, but due to traditional testing, it could not be detected quickly.

The level of virus in the drains decreased in the last few days

CDC has created the National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS) for this project. Under this, 400 testing centers have been opened in 19 states of America. According to the data received from the research, in the last 15 days, two-thirds of the 400 centers have been found to have less amount of corona virus.

Why is it necessary to test for corona in wastewater?

The new wave of corona can already be detected through the examination of drain water.

According to experts, the virus is first identified in the drain water itself. Patients may not show symptoms of infection, but the increasing cases of corona are detected from the dirty water of the drains. The new wave of corona can already be detected through the investigation of wastewater.

In addition, it is a good way to detect new variants of the virus. Since genome sequencing is mandatory in this test, any changes in the genome of the virus will be detected even before the outbreak of the pandemic. With this, the governments will not have to wait for the patients to fall ill, get the tests done and the reports come.