Wastewater viral load in Athens points to 80,000-90,000 Covid-19 carriers, professor says
The viral load found in the urban wastewater of Athens shows that there may be 80,000 to 90,000 symptomatic or asymptomatic carriers of Covid-19 in the region, said Nikos Thomaidis, professor of analytical chemistry at Athens University.
Speaking to Skai TV on Thursday, Thomaidis clarified that the calculation model is uncertain in terms of absolute numbers, but is reliable in terms of the changes observed in wastewater.
Scientists believe the viral load is likely to lower about 10 days after the strict lockdown has taken effect, which was today.
Professor Thomaidis’ team started analyzing waste samples from the Wastewater Treatment Plant on the islet of Psyttalia last March.
Meanwhile, the National Organization of Public Health (EODY) said it would create a National Network of Sewage Epidemiology, with the aim of monitoring, recording and creating early warnings on the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the community.
