A programme in Wales to test sewage for Covid-19 has been expanded across 48 wastewater treatment works.

First piloted by Bangor University, the programme provides vital data on the prevalence of coronavirus in the community and was key to the early detection of the Omicron wave across Wales.

The 48 sites now installed with automated monitoring equipment cover all Welsh health boards and local authorities. The technology will provide wastewater samples which scientists can test to give insights into the virus and to follow waves through communities.

The process of identifying coronavirus in wastewater was initially developed by scientists from Bangor University, in partnership with the Welsh Government, Cardiff University and water companies Welsh Water and Hafren Dyfrdwy. The initial concept and processes are now used in work being undertaken across the UK.

Professor David Jones from Bangor University’s School of Natural Sciences co-leads the development of the testing technology. He said: “Covid-19 has been a huge learning curve for virology, and our wastewater testing has been able to identify new variants of the virus in almost real-time, so we welcome its expansion across Wales.

"We know that the faster the data can be produced, the better informed public health officials can be in making important decisions about the measures needed."

The Welsh Government’s chief scientific adviser for health Rob Orford said: “We are keen to continue to explore how wastewater can play an important part of our future testing strategy as we begin to move from pandemic to endemic.

"Wastewater also has some exciting potential beyond Covid-19 and could be used to monitor the levels of many other viruses like influenza and anti-microbial resistance.”