KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Health and Population has claimed that the coronavirus does not transmit from drainage water.
Dismissing reports that coronavirus pandemic could get worse as it was seen in some drainage systems in the valley, Dr Jageshwor Gautam, Spokesperson at the Ministry of Health and Population said the possibility of getting the virus transmitted from the sewage to the community is baseless.
Earlier, the Environmental Surveillance in Kathmandu, the Center for Molecular Dynamics had claimed that two sewage outlets in the Valley had coronavirus pathogen in them.
Despite the researchers’ claim that the finding could be useful in identifying the locality and penetrating tests in those areas, the people were further panicked fearing it could be transmitted to their community.
However, spokesperson Dr. Gautam negated any such chances of making communities more vulnerable.
“The studies carried in other parts of the world have concluded that COVID-19 pathogen could still be found in the victims even some more time after recovery,” Dr Gautam said. “Such RNA fragments generally are not in the position of transmitting the pandemic.”
However, Dr. Gautam advised precautions as sewage from the contaminated community and hospital wastage can still contain the virus and coronavirus can survive for 2 days in such contents.
He added that no studies till date have verified the possibilities of transmission.
According to Dr. Gautam, finding coronavirus in the sewage in some places can not be interpreted as complicated situation caused by coronavirus.
He, however, advised the sanitation workers who work in such places should precaution themselves with safety materials like long gown, thick gloves, boot, mask and goggles.
Dr. Gautam reminded that one should abstain from touching nose, mouth and eyes and should wash hands properly after working in such places as negligence could result in vulnerability to other diseases as well.
Like the researchers of the Environmental Surveillance, he stated that such studies could still be useful in penetrating the prospective hotspots of the pandemic.
On behalf of the Ministry, Dr. Gautam ensured that Nepal Health Research Council would monitor supervise and monitor the areas claimed to have got the virus pathogen and requested all not to panic just because few pathogens were noticed in the sewage water.
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