July 10, 2020

Post-Lockdown Detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the Wastewater of Montpellier France

Category: Article Summary

Topic: Transmission

• [Pre-print, not peer reviewed] Trottier et al. found increased amounts of SARS-CoV-2 RNA at the wastewater treatment plant of Montpellier, France collected at 45 days post-lockdown compared to 4 days before the end of lockdown. During this period there was an overall decrease in cases in the city. The authors offer potential explanations that include a potential emerging increase in new cases, uneven virus shedding, movement of previously infected people to vacation homes in the area, underestimation of prevalent cases, or local variability in the geographical pattern of virus spread.  

Trottier et al. (July 9, 2020). Post-Lockdown Detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the Wastewater of Montpellier France. Pre-print downloaded July 10 from https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.07.08.20148882