Source: NORTH CAROLINA HEALTH NEWS, 6/5/21

Researchers at University of North Carolina Institute of Marine Sciences began more than a year ago tracking in wastewater the virus that causes COVID-19, just as the pandemic was beginning to sweep across the globe.

That research led to the lab to start testing samples from 11 wastewater treatment plants in the state earlier this year for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, the results of which are on theNC COVID-19 Dashboard. Plans are to boost sampling to 20 plants starting next month.

Dr. Rachel Noble, a professor who studies environmental microbiology and marine microbial ecology at UNC-IMS, directs the lab there researching SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in wastewater.

Symptomatic and asymptomatic people with COVID-19 shed viral particles in their feces. Though no longer infectious in wastewater, the viral particles can be measured if enough people are infected, according to the state Department of Health and Human Resources. With one sample, trends in an entire community that uses the same sewer system can be identified, which can supplement existingCOVID-19 data. Wastewater monitoring does not detect COVID-19 vaccines because the vaccine does not contain SARS-CoV-2.

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