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Spatial and Temporal Trends of SARS-CoV-2 RNA from Wastewater Treatment Plants over 6 Weeks in Cape Town, South Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Renée Street

    (Environment & Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Tygerberg 7505, South Africa)

  • Angela Mathee

    (Environment & Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Tygerberg 7505, South Africa
    Environmental Health Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg 2092, South Africa)

  • Noluxabiso Mangwana

    (Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform (BRIP), South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Tygerberg 7505, South Africa
    Department of Microbiology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa)

  • Stephanie Dias

    (Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform (BRIP), South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Tygerberg 7505, South Africa)

  • Jyoti Rajan Sharma

    (Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform (BRIP), South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Tygerberg 7505, South Africa)

  • Pritika Ramharack

    (Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform (BRIP), South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Tygerberg 7505, South Africa)

  • Johan Louw

    (Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform (BRIP), South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Tygerberg 7505, South Africa
    Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Zululand, KwaDlangezwa 3886, South Africa)

  • Tarylee Reddy

    (Biostatistics Unit, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Tygerberg 7505, South Africa)

  • Ludwig Brocker

    (Department of Microbiology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa)

  • Swastika Surujlal-Naicker

    (Scientific Services, Water and Sanitation Department, City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality, Cape Town 8000, South Africa)

  • Natacha Berkowitz

    (Community Services and Health, City Health, City of Cape Town, Hertzog Boulevard, Cape Town 8001, South Africa)

  • Mokaba Shirley Malema

    (Environment & Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Tygerberg 7505, South Africa)

  • Sizwe Nkambule

    (Environment & Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Tygerberg 7505, South Africa)

  • Candice Webster

    (Environment & Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Tygerberg 7505, South Africa)

  • Nomfundo Mahlangeni

    (Environment & Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Tygerberg 7505, South Africa)

  • Huub Gelderblom

    (COVID-19 Prevention Network (COVPN), Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA)

  • Mongezi Mdhluli

    (Office of the President, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg 7050, South Africa)

  • Glenda Gray

    (Chief Research Operations Office, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg 7050, South Africa)

  • Christo Muller

    (Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform (BRIP), South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Tygerberg 7505, South Africa
    Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Zululand, KwaDlangezwa 3886, South Africa
    Centre for Cardio-Metabolic Research in Africa, Division of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa)

  • Rabia Johnson

    (Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform (BRIP), South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Tygerberg 7505, South Africa
    Centre for Cardio-Metabolic Research in Africa, Division of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa
    Discipline of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, Durban 4001, South Africa)

Abstract

Recent scientific trends have revealed that the collection and analysis of data on the occurrence and fate of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater may serve as an early warning system for COVID-19. In South Africa, the first COVID-19 epicenter emerged in the Western Cape Province. The City of Cape Town, located in the Western Cape Province, has approximately 4 million inhabitants. This study reports on the monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the wastewater of the City of Cape Town’s wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) during the peak of the epidemic. During this period, the highest overall median viral RNA signal was observed in week 1 (9200 RNA copies/mL) and declined to 127 copies/mL in week 6. The overall decrease in the amount of detected viral SARS-CoV-2 RNA over the 6-week study period was associated with a declining number of newly identified COVID-19 cases in the city. The SARS-CoV-2 early warning system has now been established to detect future waves of COVID-19.

Suggested Citation

  • Renée Street & Angela Mathee & Noluxabiso Mangwana & Stephanie Dias & Jyoti Rajan Sharma & Pritika Ramharack & Johan Louw & Tarylee Reddy & Ludwig Brocker & Swastika Surujlal-Naicker & Natacha Berkowi, 2021. "Spatial and Temporal Trends of SARS-CoV-2 RNA from Wastewater Treatment Plants over 6 Weeks in Cape Town, South Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-9, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:22:p:12085-:d:681455
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Zobia Jawed & Gail Krantzberg & Sasha Voinson, 2021. "Identifying Local Realities and Anticipating Challenges in Building Capacity of Ontario Municipal Wastewater Systems in Tracking for SARS-CoV-2," International Journal of World Policy and Development Studies, Academic Research Publishing Group, vol. 7(2), pages 7-20, 06-2021.
    2. Heather Richardson, 2021. "How waste water is helping South Africa fight COVID-19," Nature, Nature, vol. 593(7860), pages 616-617, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Cited by:

    1. Jeffrey L. Ram & William Shuster & Lance Gable & Carrie L. Turner & James Hartrick & Adrian A. Vasquez & Nicholas W. West & Azadeh Bahmani & Randy E. David, 2023. "Wastewater Monitoring for Infectious Disease: Intentional Relationships between Academia, the Private Sector, and Local Health Departments for Public Health Preparedness," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(17), pages 1-21, August.
    2. Solomon Ali & Esayas Kebede Gudina & Addisu Gize & Abde Aliy & Birhanemeskel Tegene Adankie & Wondwossen Tsegaye & Gadissa Bedada Hundie & Mahteme Bekele Muleta & Tesfaye Rufael Chibssa & Rediet Belai, 2022. "Community Wastewater-Based Surveillance Can Be a Cost-Effective Approach to Track COVID-19 Outbreak in Low-Resource Settings: Feasibility Assessment for Ethiopia Context," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-14, July.

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