A survey of wastewater confirmed the Omicron coronavirus variant spreading to a majority of areas of Italy in December, the federal government’s Nationwide Well being Institute stated on Monday.
The analysis discovered the extremely contagious variant within the sewage methods of 14 of the nation’s 20 areas between Dec. 19 and Dec. 25, the ISS stated, in comparison with only one area earlier within the month.
Omicron was present in 28.4% of 282 wastewater samples.
“Environmental monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater is proving to be a key device, along with epidemiological surveillance, for understanding the evolution of the pandemic,” stated examine coordinator Giuseppina La Rosa.
The European Union has promoted the usefulness of wastewater monitoring in detection of coronavirus mutations.
Italy additionally conducts swab-based surveys to detect Omicron, with the latest one on Dec. 23 pointing to a speedy unfold.
Italy, the primary Western nation to be hit by the pandemic early final yr, has seen new infections rise steeply in latest weeks. General, it has registered 137,786 deaths linked to the virus and has reported 6.4 million instances.
The nation reported 68,052 new instances on Monday, towards 61,046 the day earlier than, whereas the every day tally of coronavirus-related deaths rose to 140 from 133.
(Reuters)