Australia; QLD
During the COVID-19 pandemic, governments have relied on our sewerage system to detect and monitor COVID-19 outbreaks but what actually happens to the virus once it enters the sewers? Australian scientists have found that how long the virus hangs around in our sewer pipes can depend on the formation of something called biofilms, slimy layers of bacteria and viruses that stick to wet surfaces. They found that if the virus is absorbed onto biofilms it can hang around in a sewer section even after the wastewater has changed several times. The authors say these biofilms could mean virus RNA continues to be detected in wastewater beyond the end of local outbreaks.
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