MSI finds Covid virus traces in Davao wastewater

THE Marine Science Institute (MSI) has found SARS-CoV-2 RNA in community wastewater in Davao City even when no new cases of Covid-19 were reported for the corresponding week. This was just one among several findings from MRI’s research on wastewater from pharmaceuticals and personal care products as well as the wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) of SARS-CoV-2.

An in-depth discussion of these findings as well as their impact and repercussions were disclosed during a livestreamed webinar, titled “WBE for Public Health Surveillance,” which was conducted online and in person at the Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City last Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023 from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The list of speakers and their topics included Shyrill Mae Mariano, “Detection of Untreated Wastewater in Davao River and Davao Gulf;” Dr. Dann Marie del Mundo, “Stool Tool: Wastewaterbased Epidemiology;” Catherine Otero, “Laboratory Methods for Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater;” Kieffer Arben Go, “Wastewater Data Analysis for Covid-19 in Davao City, Philippines;” and Refeim Miguel. “The Role of Sewershed Mapping in Wastewaterbased Epidemiology for Public Health Surveillance in Davao City.”