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Last week, GP reported a record rise of coronavirus in Gothenburg’s sewage. In one week, the number of viruses had increased more than 100 times and was 60 times more than at the peak of last spring.
– It has completely exploded, said Heléne Norder, virologist and professor of microbiology at the Sahlgrenska Academy and responsible for the measurements.
READ MORE: Record amount of corona in Gothenburg sewage
Concerns were expressed from various sectors
At the same time, health care curves pointed upward and the Västra Götaland region found that the number of covid patients hospitalized in various hospitals was higher than in the spring. The government and various authorities expressed great concern ahead of the major holidays.
– The connection between high wastewater outcomes and increased healthcare workload is clear. We have received ongoing information and have used it as one of several important parameters in our planning, explained Per Albertsson, coordinator of the Sahlgrenska pandemic group.
The danger is far from over
Before Christmas, Heléne Norder can now deliver a reasonably reassuring message.
– The presence of coronavirus in wastewater has decreased during week 51 (last week) and is now about half compared to what it was during week 50, when it was at its worst so far during the pandemic. Possibly, the high incidence may be related to Black Friday when many were outside and crowded, she says.
But the danger is far from over, he warns. Last week’s value is higher than in early fall.
– The amount is slightly higher than the subsequent three peaks this spring, but not as high as the highest peak we had in late March and early April. Next week we will see if there is a wide dissemination or not, that is, if the incidence rises again or continues to fall, he says.
READ MORE: Tegnell is skeptical about measuring coronavirus in wastewater
Anders Tegnell critic
At a news conference last week, state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell of the Public Health Agency said it is unclear what the evidence conveys about the contagion situation in society.
State epidemiologist Anders Tegnell is skeptical about the wastewater measurements. Photo: Lars Schröder / TT
– It is a method that can be very interesting when you have validated it better. But we have no opportunity to translate those levels into the levels of society, he said and continued:
– Obviously, tests can tell if there is a spread of covid-19 in society. It can be interesting when you haven’t had a spread for a while and then you see that it is returning, if that signal comes before other signals. But we don’t know yet, he says.
READ MORE: The Riksdag is called prematurely to vote a law against a pandemic
The teacher responds to criticism
Heléne Norder responds to criticism.
– I don’t know what measurement methods you mean. I don’t think Anders Tegnell really understood how we work. The results are not a coincidence, but rather flow-adjusted measurements where we have a permanent view of where the wastewater is coming from. If we had just randomly measured the water in a can and not systematically tested it, he might have understood the reviews, but this is not how we really work, he says.
READ MORE: Expert Answers to Questions About Coronavirus
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