Wastewater surveillance for Covid-19: An African perspective

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140719Get rights and content

Highlights

  • Wastewater surveillance could play a key role in management of the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • Unlike well-resourced countries, there is high reliance on non-sewered sanitation systems in resource-constrained regions.

  • In sub-Saharan Africa, locally relevant alternatives to sampling from wastewater treatment plants are required.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has once again highlighted the importance of access to sufficient quantities of safe water and sanitation in public health. In the current COVID-19 pandemic, an early warning wastewater system has been proposed as a platform for SARS-CoV-2 surveillance, and a potentially important public health strategy to combat the disease. This short communication on wastewater surveillance in sub-Saharan Africa highlights challenges, opportunities and alternatives taken into account the local context.

Keywords

Wastewater
Sub-Saharan African
Sanitation
COVID-19

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