Events & News

31 March 2021

Data from the CentrEau-COVID project has allowed early detection of the increase in daily cases in the Capitale-Nationale region. This increase, detected through the analysis of wastewater samples from the Québec City sewer system three times a week, confirms beyond any doubt that cases are increasing in the region, even before we can see the increase in individual testing results. Indeed, since the virus is found in the feces of infected individuals before they develop symptoms or even if they are asymptomatic, the analysis of wastewater allows the detection of outbreaks several days in advance. The samples are taken by prof. Vanrolleghem's team and then analyzed at McGill University by prof. Frigon's team. For the city of Montreal, the analyses are done by prof. Dorner's team, Polytechnique Montréal.

Unfortunately, the graphs of SARS-CoV-2 data in wastewater collected in Quebec City (see below) continue to confirm that the third wave is well underway with almost exponential increases in the viral signal. Samples taken at Quebec City's two wastewater treatment plants showed a serious increase in the circulation of the virus in wastewater by mid-March. This increase occurred just under a week before the increase in detected COVID-19 cases. The analysis of the wastewater has therefore made it possible to anticipate the resurgence of the pandemic in the region and supports the decisions made by the Quebec government on March 31 [In French] to limit contamination in the Capitale-Nationale region.

The pilot project monitors four other regions:

• City of Montreal: the virus signal is rising a little, but not much. However, since the signal is already high, it is more difficult to see a significant difference. A graph of the tracking data for this region should be available soon.
• City of Laval: we don't yet have a time series long enough to mean anything.
• Bas-Saint-Laurent region and Mauricie-Centre-du-Québec region: everything is not yet fully in place and we do not have sufficiently complete time series to draw conclusions.

The CentrEau-COVID research project is largely funded by the Fonds de recherche du Québec.

Read the article of Le Soleil | March 26, 2021 » [In French]

Read the Radio-Canada article | March 26, 2021 » [In French]

Listen to « COVID update » with Dre Caroline Quach-Thanh on Dessine-moi un dimanche » [In French]

See the TVA report | March 26, 2021 (35:35) » [In French]

Read the article in Le Devoir, April 2, 2021 » [In French]

See the entire press review of the CentrEau-COVID project »

On the international level

In Paris, wastewater monitring forsees an increase in the number of cases. Read the news on BMF.tv, Paril 1st, 2021 »