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Coronavirus cases in Thessaloniki are expected to remain at high levels, with an increasing trend, says the rector of AUTh, based on the concentration of the virus genome in the city’s wastewater.
In September, the concentration of the coronavirus genome in municipal wastewater from Thessaloniki was marginally detectable, which was reflected in the cases reported for the area. However, with a reference date of October 12, measurements in the city’s wastewater show a 500% increase in the concentration of the new coronavirus. It is recalled that yesterday, of the 865 cases of coronavirus in Greece, 181 were located in the peripheral unit of Thessaloniki.
The concentration of the coronavirus genome in the effluent continues to increase considerably. Last week, between October 12 and 14, the interdisciplinary team of researchers from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, which in collaboration with EYATH analyzes samples of municipal liquid waste every two days at the entrance of the Wastewater Treatment Plant Thessaloniki, had registered an increase of 290%. .
“In the coming days we expect confirmed cases to remain at high levels, with an increasing trend. With reference to October 12, when the upward trend began to be recorded, this week we measured the viral load concentration twice, when the previous one was three times higher. That is to say, in total, since October 12, we are about five times higher ”, the rector of AUTh and coordinator of the research team, Professor Nikos Papaioannou, told APE.
The data so far are completely reliable, since in the analyzes we have performed three repetitions and application of advanced sample processing methods and then we rationalize the measured values, based on the daily fluctuations of the environmental parameters in the wastewater, which affect and distort measurements. However, we need to monitor the measurements in the coming days, to confirm the shape and slope of the viral load growth curve, ”added Mr. Papaioannou.
The epidemiological picture of wastewater turns out to be a reliable indicator of the timely monitoring of the spread of the coronavirus in the community, said the rector of AUTh.
“We detected the eruption of the scatter 6 days before it was clinically confirmed by the number of registered cases. It should be noted that the international literature states that the disease takes an average of 5-7 days to manifest itself after its initial transmission. “The carefully simplified reading of the wastewater analysis ensures a critical time for timely action by the state and the awareness of citizens that there is no room for irresponsible and antisocial behavior,” he added.
The coronavirus evaluation methodology in municipal waste, developed by the AUTh team, streamlines the measurements of the virus genome concentration based on 24 environmental factors, which can alter the measurement results. The research involves professors from 11 different laboratories from the Departments of Medicine, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Veterinary Medicine, Biology, Civil Engineering, Space Engineering and Development of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
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