Foreign news

Brazilian researchers on discovery of COVID-19 virus in November sewage

Published

5 years ago

July 6, 2020

A Brazilian research team found samples of the new coronavirus in the sewer system of the southern city of Florianopolis back in late November 2019, three months before the first COVID-19 case was officially recorded in the country on February 26.

The researchers from the Applied Virology Lab at the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC) published their findings in a paper on June 26. CGTN’s correspondent in Brazil, Paulo Cabral, has spoken to two leading researchers on the team for more details about their discovery.

“We are sure of what we found in the November sample. It is the SARS-CoV-2 virus. We have no doubts about that,” Patricia Stoco, a geneticist at the lab, told CGTN.

“We are now effectively working on sequencing the whole genome of these samples, so we’ll be able to compare the sequencing of the virus found in our samples from late November with that of the virus now actually circulating and infecting people,” she said.

“Doing that we could maybe detect mutations that could possibly explain the increase in the number of cases now,” she added, stressing that comparing the full genetic sequencing is important to deepen understanding about the virus.

Gislaine Fongaro, a virologist at the university, explained how the research was conducted. She said the samples were collected from raw sewage in the pipes en route to the treatment plant.

“These samples were collected monthly between October 2019 and March 2020. So we take the samples to the laboratory and freeze them. That’s why we could go back over them now – they were frozen,” she said.

“Results came back negative for SARS-CoV-2 in the samples from October. And then negative again in the early November samples. But then results came back positive for the first time for a sample from November 27. And then all samples tested came back positive until March 2020,” she explained.

She said it’s possible that if they went further back, they could find more positive results for the novel coronavirus.

“It would be very important if we could review samples dating back to the beginning of the year [of 2019],” she said, adding that she hopes their research will encourage other teams who may have access to older samples to check them, and also encourage researchers to look into other older clinical samples taken from patients, which could also help tell the story of the virus.

“Because if we found this in the sewer, that’s because people were already carrying the virus. That means there were already people who were infected but were not diagnosed because we did not know about the virus back then,” she noted.

Share on Facebook

Foreign news

Pakistan Moves to Deepen Diplomatic, Economic Relations With Nigeria

Published

3 days ago

November 27, 2025

The Gleamer

The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan has called for deeper diplomatic and economic ties with the Nigerian government to foster development for both countries.

Mr Rana Ihsaan, the Coordinator to the Prime Minister of Pakistan made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) during his working vist to Nigeria on Wednesday in Abuja.

NAN reports that the visiting Coordinator held a closed-door meeting with Yusuf Tuggar, the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

After the meeting, he said that both both sides had agreed on deepening relations in the areas of trade and commerce, among others.

Ihsaan said that both countries must see the need to accelerate efforts towards a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).

He said that Pakistan had already submitted a draft BTA and was awaiting Nigeria’s response.

According to him, discussions centered on easing visa processes, expanding educational exchanges, and strengthening Cooperation in sectors such as Minerals, Youth training, and Defence were highlighted.

Ihsaan said that Pakistan had already implemented visa-on-arrival for Nigerians at no cost, and urged Nigeria to reciprocate to enhance people-to-people ties.

He stressed the importance of high-level engagements between both nations, describing Nigeria and Pakistan as very similar countries with large populations, youthful demographics, and vast economic potentials.

“Deeper collaboration will unlock opportunities in trade, education and investment, while further solidifying long-standing diplomatic relations,” he said.

He said that aside from visiting the foriegn Minister and other top government officials in Nigeria, he was also in the country to attend the on-going West Africa Beauty Exhibition holding in Lagos.

He described the exhibition as one of the continent’s largest cosmetic fairs, adding that he led a delegation of 19 Pakistani business people exploring Nigeria’s estimated 10 million dollar beauty and cosmetics market.

Ihsaan said that Nigeria was a gateway to Africa, adding that Pakistani products, like cosmetics, Textiles, Pharmaceuticals, Food items and Sports goods were already gaining traction in the country.

He encouraged Pakistani exhibitors to establish offices, Warehouses and logistics partnerships to strengthen their foothold in the Nigerian market.

Ihsaan further addressed concerns from Nigerian businesses on the ease of doing business in Pakistan.

He said that the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan had been supporting Nigerian participants at major exhibitions to achieve the ease of doing business.

“The Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) serves as a one-stop platform for Nigerians interested in investing in Pakistan,” he said

Culled from NAN

Share on Facebook