Type of Intervention: New Tool / Service / Body
Sectors Involved: Health, Research and Development
Intervention Categories: Surveillance and response measures; Detecting and isolating cases; Research and development
Level of Jurisdiction: National
Lead People/Agency: National Water Laboratory
Overview: Costa Rica extends Epidemiological Surveillance to Identify SARS-COV-2 in Wastewater. The international scientific community has shown that a varied percentage of patients with Covid-19 disease excrete particles of the new coronavirus in the feces. The National Water Laboratory (LNA) has collected and analyzed samples from different hospitals. At the moment, studies confirm the presence or not of SARS-CoV-2, but later on, the concentration of the virus present in different samples can be measured and comparisons can be made to estimate the virus load in the population that serves the sewer system. For these purposes, the institution manages the purchase of new supplies that would be arriving in the country in June. In addition, long-term studies would show the seasonality patterns that the virus may present.
Full details here: https://www.presidencia.go.cr/comunicados/2020/05/costa-rica-aplica-vigilancia-epidemiologica-para-identificar-sars-cov-2-en-aguas-residuales/
Type of Justification: Advice of INTERNAL government advisory committee or group, Learning from other jurisdictions
Source of Evidence or Justification: National – government
Evidence/Justification: The National Water Laboratory (LNA) has collected and analyzed samples from different hospitals, following the example on other jurisdictions.