Sewage shows a large increase in cases at the end of the month in Thessaloniki



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The latest measurements from the AUTh scientific team show more than double the load in the wastewater – At the end of the month possible reduction of the curve

Increase of coronavirus cases in the city at the end of November “show” wastewater analysis carried out by its scientific team AUTH.

That said the rector of AUTh, Nikos Papaioannou, during the extraordinary meeting of the municipal council of Thessaloniki on the evolution of the pandemic in the city.

Papaioannou stated that In the first ten days of November, an increase in viral load was observed in wastewaterhowever, not as aggressive as the one observed in the two fortnights of October. “There is a big increase. Two to 2.5 times more,” he noted, emphasizing that the findings are in line with physicians’ estimates that at the end of the month we will have a large increase in cases. “To anyone’s question, what reflects this level is the answer 5 to 10 times more than the cases we have“, He pointed.

The rector stressed that he is absolutely necessary to stop all social contact. “Assuming we have a 25-year-old positive and a 60-year-old positive, the viral load is higher in the youngest. Therefore, any social contact that is not necessary should stop at least during this period,” he said and expressed hope that the results of the measurements of tomorrow and Friday show that probably next week a leveling will start, which will be reflected three or four days later. “At the end of November we should arrive to talk about a downward course of the curve,” he stressed.

Mr. Papaioannou also mentioned that the AUTh scientific team is oriented towards the separation of the Urban Complex in 3-4 points, for which a separate collection of samples is carried out and there is an epidemiological picture of each area.

On this issue, the president of the Panhellenic Medical Association, Athanasios Exadachtylos, stated that separate wastewater analysis should result in different actions per area and not different measurements. “For example, one area may not have another traffic limit and another does not.” But there should be more specific control with more extensive sampling or other actions. “

The assessment that there will be an escalation of cases from the end of this week and the next signs of de-escalation in the ICUs. the director of the AUTh Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Professor Demosthenes Sarigiannis.
The professor also addressed the issue of long-term management of the pandemic, noting that rolling lock could be applied under restrictions. “It just came to our notice then.” I’m talking about manageable cases that will fluctuate at reasonable prices and the safety of the public health system, “he said, referring to a relative number of ICU patients below or around 200.
Sarigiannis noted that other scenarios are being examined and various solutions are being explored, emphasizing that what we are doing now and in the next period will affect what will happen in the future.



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