From manhole to sampling bottle: How wastewater helps indicate presence of COVID-19 in foreign worker dormitories

SINGAPORE: It takes two keys and as many members of the team to prise open the hefty manhole cover. Sometimes, more hands are required.

"We know that infected persons shed the virus in stool and wastewater receives stool as well as other respiratory discharges such as sputum and nasal aspirates."So monitoring wastewater for the virus allows a non-invasive approach to understand the COVID-19 situation and this is independent of clinical testing regimes as well as the health-seeking behaviour of a population."

The entire process can take between 30 minutes to up to three hours depending on factors such as whether the site designated for the extraction of the sample is suitable. "This methodology has been used to support the national effort in infection control and prevention of COVID-19," explained Dr Wong.

In a dormitory with no known transmission of the virus, if no virus signals are detected in the wastewater, this provides an"added assurance" that the dormitory is clear from infections, Dr Wong added. The pilot programme began in April and has since been expanded to more than 30 dormitories so far. About 20 personnel are deployed in various roles ranging from collecting samples to working in the laboratories, said Dr Wong.

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