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Curious about the University of Arizona catching a dorm-based coronavirus outbreak, before it happen, & stopping it — by sampling wastewater?
UArizona;s Don Pepper, a microbiologist helping run the program, gave details in a press conference today.
Strap in. This is cool stuff.
UArizona;s Don Pepper, a microbiologist helping run the program, gave details in a press conference today.
Strap in. This is cool stuff.
2/ First, a reminder of the basics.
@UArizona is testing wastewater from 20 buildings on campus for coronavirus — especially dorms — in an effort to detect infections before they become outbreaks.
@UArizona is testing wastewater from 20 buildings on campus for coronavirus — especially dorms — in an effort to detect infections before they become outbreaks.
3/ Tuesday, wastewater from Likins Hall tested positive. Followup tests on the wastewater confirmed the positive test.
Wednesday, all 311 residents of Likins got antigen quick-tests — & 2 residents were positive (but asymptomatic).
Those 2 students are in a quarantine dorm now.
Wednesday, all 311 residents of Likins got antigen quick-tests — & 2 residents were positive (but asymptomatic).
Those 2 students are in a quarantine dorm now.
4/ Here's some detail Ian Pepper provided.
The wastewater from Likins Hall was tested again after the students were isolated — it's now negative for coronavirus. So, at least preliminarily, those two students didn't spread the virus to anyone else in the dorm.
The wastewater from Likins Hall was tested again after the students were isolated — it's now negative for coronavirus. So, at least preliminarily, those two students didn't spread the virus to anyone else in the dorm.
5/ Testing of the samples is labor intensive & demanding—it's PCR testing, just like on samples from nasal swabs.
Samples taken from manholes at 8:30 am. Results back about 5:30 pm.
Pepper & his colleagues at @UArizona's WEST water research center process the tests in-house.
Samples taken from manholes at 8:30 am. Results back about 5:30 pm.
Pepper & his colleagues at @UArizona's WEST water research center process the tests in-house.
6/ Side tidbit for water and wastewater geeks:
UArizona's WEST water research center is, literally, co-located on Pima County's Agua Nueva wastewater treatment plant. The research center, labs, students and professors are right there at the sewage treatment plant!
UArizona's WEST water research center is, literally, co-located on Pima County's Agua Nueva wastewater treatment plant. The research center, labs, students and professors are right there at the sewage treatment plant!
7/ The testing is not cheap. $150 per test — labor + reagents.
UArizona is sampling each of 20 buildings 2x a week, including the student union.
Some buildings, even some dorms, they wanted to sample — the logistics or the plumbing made it difficult or impossible.
UArizona is sampling each of 20 buildings 2x a week, including the student union.
Some buildings, even some dorms, they wanted to sample — the logistics or the plumbing made it difficult or impossible.
8/ Pepper was asked, given success from this positive result, should testing be increased?
'Should we do every building every day? If we had the time & the resources, we would. The team is working incredibly hard. It's a question of how many samples you can process at once."
'Should we do every building every day? If we had the time & the resources, we would. The team is working incredibly hard. It's a question of how many samples you can process at once."
