Chinese flight wastewater tested for corona variants in our country for the first time: “Sample moderately positive, difficult for further analysis” | Coronavirus what you need to know

The result of the first test on a sample of wastewater from a Chinese flight that landed at Zaventem is known. “It is moderately positive for corona, which means that there is very little virus in the sample. That makes it difficult to perform the variant determination on the sample, but we are going to try it anyway,” says the Rega Institute.

According to Federal Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke (Vooruit), we should not panic because of the situation in China and it is especially important to continue to vaccinate. “But in addition, the main objective is to find out quickly whether a new variant might emerge in China,” he said earlier this week. That is why he announced that waste water from aircraft from China landing in Belgium will be tested. In addition, anyone who shows corona symptoms after a stay in China must always get tested with a test that can detect variants.

The idea of ​​testing wastewater came over from the United States. Testing the wastewater from international aircraft is a better way to detect the virus than having people take a PCR test upon arrival, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

With serious doubts over China’s transparency on coronavirus data, these tests could provide a clearer picture of how the virus mutates. “We think this is something that all European countries should do,” Vandenbroucke said Monday evening.

Vandenbroucke wants to use testing sparingly, given the cost price. That is why people who show corona symptoms after a recent stay in China should be tested. This then covers a period of seven days before becoming ill. These tests can be administered by pharmacists and healthcare providers.

It is important that the tests used can also detect variants. There is a fear that the massive spread of the corona virus in China will lead to new, dangerous variants that will be brought to Belgium by plane.