One manB次元官网网址檚 waste is another manB次元官网网址檚 treasure.

In this case, the waste is the kind produced by people and researchers at the University of Calgary say a pilot project testing the cityB次元官网网址檚 water is providing a valuable tool in the fight against COVID-19.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 similar to how detectives look for DNA evidence at a crime scene. WeB次元官网网址檙e looking for the RNA signal that the virus that causes COVID leaves behind in the wastewater,B次元官网网址� said Kevin Frankowski, co-leader of the COVID-19 wastewater monitoring project at the universityB次元官网网址檚 Cumming School of Medicine.

B次元官网网址淪o weB次元官网网址檙e not looking for the virus itself B次元官网网址� weB次元官网网址檙e looking for the genetic fingerprint that it leaves behind.B次元官网网址�

The research team provided a demonstration Wednesday in retrieving samples. A computer device retrieves a steady supply of wastewater from a modified manhole over a 24-hour period.

WhatB次元官网网址檚 left is a large water bottle full of yellowish liquid.

B次元官网网址淭hat helps augment the data that we collect through other public health measures such as clinical testing to give us a better understanding of how cases are going up and down across a variety of scales from the city, down to individual neighbourhoods, down to individual buildings such as hospitals,B次元官网网址� Frankowski explained.

He said the system can help identify areas where there are outbreaks and could also identify rarer outbreaks such as measles and polio before they show up in the medical lab.

B次元官网网址淲e can actually have a six-day leading indicator prior to an outbreak occurring just because of the way the biology works with regards to the virus,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檒l pick it up in the wastewater before it shows up in clinical case numbers.B次元官网网址�

The one-year pilot project has come to an end, and Frankowski hopes to see the process adopted across the province.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 being done all across the world,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲astewater-based epidemiology is a rapidly emerging field and itB次元官网网址檚 proven to be an excellent tool for augmenting our response to COVID.B次元官网网址�

Casey Hubert, an associate professor in biological sciences at the university who is co-leader of the project, said Calgary was the ideal location to test the science.

B次元官网网址淎ll of the information that is contained when we go to the bathroom goes into the wastewater system, but that doesnB次元官网网址檛 get diluted by stormwater,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淲hat we are sampling contains really valuable information from all the people who go to the bathroom in this region. The wastewater testing really does offer an early warning signal.B次元官网网址�

Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press

Like us on and follow us on .

Want to support local journalism? Make a donation