Researchers from Cape Breton University are joining the expansion of Dalhousie University’s program that tests for COVID-19 indicators in wastewater.
A pilot project by Dalhousie found the virus that causes COVID-19 in wastewater testing done in Kings County, leading the province to set up rapid testing sites and increase capacity at the Wolfville testing centre.
Now the program is expanding across the province.
Researchers will be making regular sample collections from the areas around CBU, Acadia University, and St. Francis Xavier University, along with several towns and municipalities.
Nova Scotia Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Robert Strang says although wastewater testing is still in the research stages, a spike of COVID-19 in wastewater samples could be an early warning signal of transmission in a community.