Incidence and temporal distribution of SARS-CoV-2 circulating in the municipal wastewaters of the Buffalo City region, Eastern Cape, South Africa.

BACKGROUND

The global health catastrophe of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) resulted from the emergence and proliferation of a Betacoronavirus, the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Since the unprecedented pandemic, over 6 million fatalities associated with COVID-19 have been observed on a global scale, and the world economy has taken a toll. The virus is discharged into the wastewater milieu, posing significant environmental and public health concerns. Hence, this investigation sought to explicate the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the municipal wastewater of Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM).

METHODS

Raw wastewater samples were obtained from inlets of various municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in BCMM for a 46-week surveillance period. Commercial kits were utilized to extract viral Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) from 486 wastewater samples following the standard operating protocol. Subsequently, the Quantitative Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR) was employed to profile the pervasiveness of SARS-CoV-2 RNA over the surveillance period.

RESULTS AND

CONCLUSION

351 (72 %) possessed the nucleocapsid protein gene, signifying SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the municipal wastewater. A time series analysis revealed relatively higher SARS-CoV-2 RNA counts in autumn (2022). A moderate correlation (r = 0.43) was observed between the SARS-CoV-2 RNA and the estimated number of infected individuals. Nonetheless, the pervasiveness of SARS-CoV-2 in this environment is of critical public health significance, offering a valuable indicator of community-level viral spread. The present study's findings substantiate our understanding that wastewater possesses pathogens of interest, emphasize the importance of monitoring wastewater.