The Water Environment Federation’s Disinfection and Public Health Committee created an informative, in-depth section on WEF’s website to provide up-to-date information on the outbreak of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus as it continues to spread.
The 2019 Novel Coronavirus was identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness, referred to as COVID-19. It was first detected in Wuhan, China on Dec. 12, 2019 and is considered to now to be a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization (WHO).
On Feb. 5, 2020, the World Health Organization reported 24,554 cases and 492 deaths in 25 countries worldwide, with the vast majority (24,363 cases and 491 deaths) in China. As of February 17, 2020, this number has globally increased to 71,429 confirmed cases, 70,635 of which are located in China. This large increase in case numbers is mainly due to a change in reporting by the WHO.
The U.S. reported its first confirmed case of person-to-person spread with this virus on Jan. 30, 2020. As of Feb. 16, 2020, there were 15 confirmed cases in the US. The most up-to-date CDC data are available online. In Canada, eight cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed as of Feb. 16, 2020. Canadian case numbers are being updated daily by the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Because this disease already has begun to spread worldwide, it is important that water sector professionals keep informed on the attributions of this virus and any measures needed to protect both workers and public health, in general.
Recent information suggests that COVID-19 may be transmitted through the fecal-oral route. The virus RNA was detected in patient stool after scientists noticed that some patients infected with the COVID-19 virus experienced diarrhea in the early stages of infection instead of a fever, the latter being more common. A recent paper, “First Case of 2019 Novel Coronavirus in the United States,” in the New England Journal of Medicine also confirmed the virus RNA detection in feces. OSHA recommends that workers handle solid waste contaminated with COVID-19 as they would other regulated Category B medical waste, corresponding with the recommendations of other organizations. If the recovery of infectious particles from feces or wastewater at potentially infective doses is confirmed at a future date, this recommendation may have to be revised. According to OSHA, there is no evidence to suggest that additional, COVID-19-specific protections are needed for employees involved in wastewater management operations, including those at wastewater treatment facilities.
Detection of viruses by molecular techniques provides no indication that the virus is infectious. It remains to be seen if infectious virus particles are excreted in patients' feces and urine, and if so, how well the viruses are able to survive in wastewater.
WEF will be hosting a webcast Webcast: Updates on Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) for Water Professionals, organized by WEF’s Disinfection and Public Health Committee (DPHC) in collaboration with the Water Research Foundation. This webcast will provide the most up-to-date information available on COVID-19 from some of the most reputable names in infectious disease control and emergency response. It will highlight virus ecology, transmission, control, epidemiology, government agency response, and specific impacts for the water community. Speakers will provide the audience with additional resources and published recommendations, as we continue to learn more about and respond to this ongoing outbreak.
Webcast Information:
- Date: Tuesday, February 25th
- Time: 2:30 – 4:00 PM, EST
- Click here to register!
For information on how COVID-19 compares to SARS or MERS, click here.
More information for water professionals regarding the coronavirus can be found here.
For more information on signs and symptoms of the Coronavirus, click here.
