In the wake of some States reporting new sub-variants of Omicron, Karnataka’s COVID-19 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) met last week to review the situation. Sewage surveillance is known to have provided early warning on impending local surge of COVID-19 during the emergence of BA.4 and BA.5 sub-lineages of Omicron in June-July this year.

In view of the emergence of newer sub-variants of Omicron in different parts of India and the world, it is recommended that the organisation should soon initiate sewage surveillance in Mangalore airport that was planned and approved already. Also, it is recommended to start similar surveillance in cities in north Karnataka, such as Belagavi and Kalaburagi.

Sewage surveillance is known to help in early identification of any impending wave of COVID-19 and notifying the emergence of new variants of SARS-CoV 2, if any, to initiate local public health actions. However, the exercise is yet to begin in Mangalore.