Page 64 - Covid 2021 June 2021

Genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 using wastewater in Bengaluru
city – an initiative supported by Office of PSA
Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) manages wastewater systems through more than 25 Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) and supplies treated water for irrigation, industrial use, and recharging of urban lakes (https://www.bwssb.gov.in). National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) is currently engaging with BWSSB for a regular sampling of non-treated, treated, and sludge samples from different STPs. These samples are to be tested for SARS- CoV-2 RNAs using standard qRT-PCR and also to be used for standardizing and optimizing other novel methods. A formal Memorandum of Understanding is in place between NCBS and BWSSB to perform the abovementioned activities.
Wastewater epidemiology is a powerful tool to understand the dynamics of not just SARS CoV- 2 but many other emerging pathogens. In addition to detecting the SARS-CoV-2 genome, this study would identify variants circulating in the populations. The repeated sampling at regular intervals would help track emerging variants and their dynamics over time. This information can be correlated with the clinical data from the catchment area. Besides, prevalence information would actively be used as an indicator of infection load and the health status of the catchment area population. By actively engaging with BWSSB, NCBS hopes to build capacity at BWSSB to implement wastewater epidemiology for public health purposes. This collaborative effort would strengthen the knowledge on the impact of COVID-19 in the city and build the capabilities of both institutions - BWSSB and NCBS- to understand and manage wastewater in Bengaluru city better.
Contact Info: secy@psa.gov.in, sapna.poti@gov.in
Envisaged workflow of wastewater sample collection, processing, and whole genome sequencing
Rapid response in a pandemic through genomic surveillance of
SARS-CoV-2 genomes – an initiative supported by Office of PSA
SARS-CoV-2 is the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, a pandemic that has gripped the entire world since November 2019. Several countries throughout the world have been through waves and troughs of infection. Through these difficult times, science-based response remains at the forefront of what we can do. The aim is to work at this science-based pandemic response interface. Genomic surveillance of the virus as it evolves and changes are critical for vaccine calibration due to the generation of variants. Such surveillance remains poor in India, despite interest and some level
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