COVID-19 levels in Saskatoon’s wastewater point to upcoming increase in cases

New tool developed at the University of Saskatchewan to detect virus levels.

University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers and partners at the City of Saskatoon (CoS) and the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) have developed a COVID-19 early warning system by sampling and testing the city’s wastewater for the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Infected people shed virus traces through their feces, often even before COVID-19 symptoms are apparent. Using a technique developed at USask, the team has found through lab analysis of wastewater samples from Saskatoon’s municipal treatment plant that changes to the total amount of virus circulating in the city’s wastewater happen about one week ahead of changes indicated by case counts at COVID testing centres….

https://news.usask.ca/articles/research/2020/covid-19-levels-in-saskatoons-wastewater-point-to-upcoming-increase-in-cases.php