Why in News?
- ICMR to launch wastewater surveillance for 10 viruses across 50 cities in next 6 months.
- Currently operational in 5 cities.
- Aim: Early detection of virus spread, growth trends & timely health interventions.
About Wastewater
- Water affected by human use (households, industries, agriculture).
- Must be treated before safe release/reuse.
ICMR’s Plan
- Scale-up Wastewater & Environmental Surveillance (WES) nationwide.
- Currently: COVID-19 & Polio under watch.
- Expansion: Fever, diarrhoea, encephalitis, respiratory distress pathogens.
- New surveillance for Avian Influenza Virus (AIV) in outbreak-prone areas.
- Complements existing ILI & SARI surveillance (IDSP + ICMR).
Importance
- Rising emergence & re-emergence of pathogens in India.
- Wastewater-Based Epidemiology (WBE):
- Early outbreak detection.
- Real-time, community-level data.
- Detects asymptomatic cases.
- Cost-effective, non-invasive, population-wide.
- Identifies hotspots & guides efficient resource allocation.
- Strengthens pandemic preparedness & global health security.
Working
- Infected people shed pathogens via waste (toilet, shower, washing).
- Pathogen fragments reach sewage → samples collected → lab testing.
- Detection within 5–7 days.
- Data informs health measures: prevention, testing, vaccination.
Wider Applications
- Detects pollution sources → protects freshwater & marine ecosystems.
- Supports environmental monitoring & sustainability.
- UNEP & WHO: push for global adoption to strengthen health + environment systems.