The first results of Michigan’s COVID wastewater monitoring project show promise

The first results of a Michigan project to control COVID-19 levels in wastewater show promising results.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and the Michigan Department of the Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) today released preliminary results from four of the counties and one of the universities participating in a state surveillance program. of COVID. 19 viruses in wastewater.

From early October to late November, the virus was detected in 100 percent of 18 samples collected from a site in Genesee County, in 100 percent of 25 samples from a site in Genesee County. Marquette and in 100 percent six samples of a place in Macomb. County. At five sites in a single community in Manistee County, the virus was detected in 48.6% of the 35 samples collected.

Overall, the researchers said that the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater from these sites appears to initially reflect documented transmission within individual sites and communities.

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In addition, most sampling sites detected an increasing trend in the amount of virus present in samples collected from October to November.

Fifteen universities across the state are participating in the pilot project and are using environmental monitoring of wastewater in their response to the campus COVID-19. For example, the University of Michigan is collecting samples from nine campus buildings and has had positive detections at seven of those locations this fall. Of these samples, 17.7 percent, or 39 of 220 samples, were positive for the virus.

“These initial results show promise for the field of COVID-19 wastewater monitoring in Michigan,” said Sarah Lyon-Callo, director of the MDHHS Office of Epidemiology and Population Health. “This project has demonstrated the viability of this method of laboratory and local collaborations for a longer-term wastewater monitoring system. Participating laboratories continue to adjust methods to produce the most reliable results, and state and local public health agencies begin interpreting the data and incorporating the results into public health responses, as appropriate.

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MDHHS said data cannot currently be used to determine the total number of infected people in a community or the percentage of infected population. Nineteen laboratories in the state of Michigan participate in a standardized and coordinated network of COVID-19 wastewater control systems.

Control of SARS-CoV-2 virus wastewater can provide an early warning signal about the presence of disease in a community. This virus is released from human feces, including people who are infected but not sick or have not yet become ill, and can be detected in wastewater up to seven days before infections cause an increase in clinical cases. A significant increase in the virus detected in wastewater over time may demonstrate that cases may increase in a community.

This type of surveillance can be used to detect possible outbreaks in communities and cohabitation facilities, such as university dormitories and long-term care centers, before clinical cases are identified. In the future, local public health agencies may use this wastewater monitoring data, along with the corresponding clinical case data, to inform public health decisions to prevent further dissemination within a community.

Wastewater control can also be useful in assessing future vaccination efforts. The state of Michigan is fortunate to have internationally recognized scientific leaders in this area at various state institutions.

This project only monitors the SARS-CoV-2 virus in wastewater and wastewater, not in drinking water. It is important to note that there is no risk of SARS-CoV-2 virus being found in properly treated drinking water from regulated drinking water treatment plants or private wells that are properly installed and maintained.

See the EGLE COVID-19 wastewater monitoring map here.