Leipzig's sewage works: Alarming increase of corona viruses in wastewater!

Leipzig's sewage works: Alarming increase of corona viruses in wastewater!

Leipzig. In an inconspicuous sewage treatment plant in the Rosental, the alarming truth about the Corona virus concentration in the wastewater is revealed! Daily at midnight, the brave employees of the Leipzig waterworks, such as William Kropp and his team, remove samples from the wastewater, which is filtered by twelve bottles. These samples are the key to monitoring the virus and are examined in the laboratory for Sars-Cov-2. Wastewater monitoring is not just a technical process, but a vital indicator of the epidemiological location in Saxony!

The latest data are alarming: Since calendar week 40, the statistics of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) have shown a dramatic increase in the SARS-COV-2 pathogens in Leipzig wastewater. While the values remain stable in Markkleeberg, the viral load in Leipzig and other Saxon cities such as Grimma and Chemnitz rises rapidly. The wastewater samples from a total of 169 sewage treatment plants in Germany provide valuable insights into the current infection situation and show that Leipzig is among the cities with the highest numbers!

increasing corona infections

The cooperation between the authorities, sewage treatment plants and laboratories is crucial to recognize the spread of the virus at an early stage. But sewage monitoring has its limits: it cannot make any exact statements about the severity of the diseases or the burden of the health system. Nevertheless, it is a valuable forecast instrument! The increase in the waste water often correlates with an increase in the actual Corona new infections. In the 43rd calendar week, 1372 new cases were reported in Saxony - a third more than in the previous week, and most of the infected people are in Leipzig and Dresden. The situation is serious and requires urgent action!