Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak: some serious consequences with urban and rural water cycle

Abstract

The COVID-19 outbreak due to SARS-CoV-2 has raised several concerns for its high transmission rate and unavailability of any treatment to date. Although major routes of its transmission involve respiratory droplets and direct contact, the infection through faecal matter is also possible. Conventional sewage treatment methods with disinfection are expected to eradicate SARS-CoV-2. However, for densely populated countries like India with lower sewage treatment facilities, chances of contamination are extremely high; as SARS-CoVs can survive up to several days in untreated sewage; even for a much longer period in low-temperature regions. With around 1.8 billion people worldwide using faecal-contaminated source as drinking water, the risk of transmission of COVID-19 is expected to increase by several folds, if proper precautions are not being taken. Therefore, preventing water pollution at the collection/distribution/consumption point along with proper implementation of WHO recommendations for plumbing/ventilation systems in household is crucial for resisting COVID-19 eruption.

Beach Tourism in Times of COVID-19 Pandemic: Critical Issues, Knowledge Gaps and Research Opportunities

“…Preliminary results confirmed the presence of the virus in raw sewage [ 68 , 69 , 70 , 71 ]. The lack of treatment of domestic sewage and the discharge of rainwater directly or indirectly through rivers to the sea is a serious threat to the people utilizing that water in many coastal locations [ 72 , 73 ]. These people may get infected through either ingestion, inhalation, or dermal contact.…”

Microbicidal actives with virucidal efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 and other beta- and alpha-coronaviruses: implications for future emerging coronaviruses and other enveloped viruses

“…The nding of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in untreated wastewater 37 and sewage 38 , is suggestive of, but certainly not proof of, the possibility for survival of infectious virus within these human waste streams reviewed in 35,39,40 . Unfortunately, there are, to our knowledge, no data on the detection or persistence of infectious SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater, and this topic, therefore, remains a knowledge gap 35,39,40 .…”

“…The nding of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in untreated wastewater 37 and sewage 38 , is suggestive of, but certainly not proof of, the possibility for survival of infectious virus within these human waste streams reviewed in 35,39,40 . Unfortunately, there are, to our knowledge, no data on the detection or persistence of infectious SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater, and this topic, therefore, remains a knowledge gap 35,39,40 . For the moment, on the basis of the reported survival of SARS-CoV-2 in human fecal suspensions and urine 20,21 , we assume the possibility of the contamination of wastewater streams with infectious SARS-CoV-2, and associated risk of virus dissemination through this route.…”

“…Since it is not known yet whether infectious SARS-CoV-2 persists in wastewater streams 39,40 , we cannot address the question of whether hygiene interventions can reduce the infectious viral burden of such waste streams. This remains a signi cant knowledge gap that has yet to be closed 82 .…”

Where do we stand to oversee the coronaviruses in aqueous and aerosol environment? Characteristics of transmission and possible curb strategies

“…Different from the city’s centralized water treatment, which builds a series of grey or technology-based infrastructure, the rural water supply and treatment are mostly decentralized and untreated ( Fig. 4 b), especially in developing and less developed areas [82] . In these regions, however, agricultural farming and animal husbandry are one of the main sources of potential virus.…”