Coronavirus Research Update

The 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a member of the Coronavirus family that was identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China on December 12, 2019. To date, more than 630,000 people have been diagnosed with the virus resulting in more than 30,000 deaths. It is believed to be primarily spread through person-to-person contact; however, concerns have risen about the possibility for fecal-oral transmission. The potential for fecal-oral transmission of COVID-19 needs further research to define the potential implications for wastewater management, including onsite wastewater disinfection, as part of efforts to control COVID-19 transmission. The survival, infectivity, and concentrations remain to be confirmed.

Due to the potential for this disease to spread worldwide, it is important that water sector professionals remain informed regarding ongoing information of this virus and any measures needed to protect both workers and public health in general. The Water Research Foundation hosted this webcast to provide technical updates and information on Novel Coronavirus. Our world-renowned presenters are experts in infectious disease control, virology, water engineering, outbreak epidemiology, pandemic trends, and risk emergency response. Our speakers provided participants with technical details, resources, and published public health recommendations as we continue to learn more about this ongoing outbreak.