Wastewater monitoring for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 virus in the Slovak Republic – progress on 51st calendar week 2023 - RT-PCR and ddPCR analysis - UVZEN
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Wastewater monitoring for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 virus in the Slovak Republic – progress on 51st calendar week 2023 - RT-PCR and ddPCR analysis
Monitoring of wastewater in the Slovak Republic for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 virus was launched on 02.05. 2021. Since then, samples of waste water from evenly distributed waste water treatment plants (WTP) have been continuously examined. During the year, the monitoring intensity is optimalized according to the epidemiological situation.
The presence of virus in wastewater samples is determined by RT-PCR and digital dd-PCR. Samples are taken in cooperation with individual operators of wastewater treatment plants, regional public health authorities and investigated in the NRC at the Public Health Authority of Slovak Republic.
By the 51st calendar week 2023, a total of 4669 samples were examined by a qualitative and quantitative method, of which 4551 (97,47 %) samples were positive or with limit values.
On 51st calendar week 2023, 19 samples were examined, 19 samples were positive. In 16 samples (84,21 %) showed a increase in the number of SARS-CoV-2 RNA copies, in the other 3 samples the number of copies remained unchanged or decreased.
On the 51st calendar week, we noticed a increase in quantitative tests, which express the copy number of SARS-CoV-2 RNA.
Monitoring of the viral load in wastewater in individual regions points to a increase in Bratislava, Trnava, Trenčín, Žilina, Banská Bystrica and Košice region.
* Source: Operačné stredisko ZZS, ÚVZ SR