SINGAPORE: At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Singapore began testing wastewater to trace the spread of the disease, mirroring efforts by other countries.
That such a method was even possible was due largely to the research done by a Dutch microbiologist, whose studies on wastewater revolutionised the way COVID-19 outbreaks were detected.
For that, Professor Gertjan Medema was awarded this year's Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize, which honours individuals or organisations for their contributions towards solving the world’s water challenges.
Research in the field of wastewater-based epidemiology by Prof Medema demonstrated that wastewater monitoring for traces of COVID-19 could serve as an early warning system for outbreaks, even before cases are reported in a community.
This allowed for public health interventions and policies that benefited millions of people worldwide.
“This award is a recognition of the innovative use of wastewater as a data source for trends in COVID-19 circulation in our communities,” said Prof Medema, via a media release issued on Tuesday (Apr 16) by the organisers of Singapore International Water Week.
The event, now in its 10th edition, is held once every two years, gathering leaders and experts to tackle urban water and associated climate challenges.
As COVID-19 emerged in early 2020, Prof Medema, a principal microbiologist at the Netherlands’ KWR Water Research Institute, and his team were the first to detect the presence of the Sars-CoV-2 virus in wastewater in the Netherlands, even before infections were officially reported in certain cities.
Recognising the importance of early detection of COVID-19, he quickly pivoted his team’s research to focus on curbing the spread of the coronavirus through wastewater surveillance.
His groundbreaking research on wastewater-based epidemiology as a tool for public health surveillance rapidly received worldwide attention, with his first publication on the subject garnering over 1,400 citations and more than 34,000 views between 2020 and 2023.
Compared to other detection methods such as nasal swabs, wastewater testing proved to be a cost-effective and non-invasive method for tracking the spread of COVID-19. It has been particularly valuable in areas with limited access to clinical testing or where asymptomatic transmission is a concern.
The method has since been adopted globally, with more than 4,000 sites in 72 countries, including Singapore, adopting wastewater surveillance of COVID-19. Prof Medema himself is directly connected to about 30 per cent of those programmes.
The Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize is “a recognition of the hard work of many people in the water sector globally, collecting COVID-19 data from wastewater to support our society’s response to the pandemic”, said the 62-year-old Prof Medema.
“This tightens the connections between the water and health sectors”.
PUB chief executive Ong Tze-Ch’in congratulates Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize 2024 Laureate Professor Gertjan Medema. (Photo: Singapore International Water Week)
Thanks to his research, Singapore's National Environment Agency’s (NEA) Environmental Health Institute (EHI), national water agency PUB, Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX) and other partners from local universities and research institutes implemented wastewater-based epidemiology processes as an early warning system for COVID-19 outbreaks at the start of the pandemic in 2020.
Singapore’s wastewater sampling network today covers more than 500 sites, including water reclamation plants, workers’ dormitories, residential areas, town centres, student hostels and welfare homes.
Apart from COVID-19, the network is now also used to monitor Zika transmission in Singapore.
Earlier this year, Singapore authorities found via wastewater testing a “persistent” presence of the Zika virus in Boon Lay, despite only one case of the mosquito-borne virus being reported.
“In the current post-pandemic world, wastewater monitoring is now firmly established as a tool for public health surveillance for an increasing number of diseases,” said Prof Medema.
With decades of research revolving around understanding the transmission of waterborne pathogens and
antimicrobial resistance via water systems, Prof Medema's work includes developing methods for detecting
and tracing pathogens such as viruses, bacteria and parasites in water.
Apart from his research on wastewater-based epidemiology, Prof Medema also advises the World Health Organization on microbiological drinking water guidelines, as well as the European Commission on the EU Drinking Water Directives and water reuse guidelines.
Prof Medema is the 10th recipient of the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize since its inception in 2008.
The previous winner, Prof Kazuo Yamamoto of Japan, was awarded the prize in 2020 for his pioneering work in developing the submerged membrane bioreactor, which has transformed the sewage treatment process.
Prof Medema will receive a cash prize of S$300,000 sponsored by the Temasek Foundation, as well as an award certificate and a gold medallion from President Tharman Shanmugaratnam at a ceremony on Jun 18.
He will also deliver a keynote lecture on Jun 19 during the Singapore International Water Week 2024, which is expected to be attended by 500 global water leaders, 2,000 delegates, and more than 30,000 trade visitors.
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That such a method was even possible was due largely to the research done by a Dutch microbiologist, whose studies on wastewater revolutionised the way COVID-19 outbreaks were detected.
For that, Professor Gertjan Medema was awarded this year's Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize, which honours individuals or organisations for their contributions towards solving the world’s water challenges.
Research in the field of wastewater-based epidemiology by Prof Medema demonstrated that wastewater monitoring for traces of COVID-19 could serve as an early warning system for outbreaks, even before cases are reported in a community.
This allowed for public health interventions and policies that benefited millions of people worldwide.
“This award is a recognition of the innovative use of wastewater as a data source for trends in COVID-19 circulation in our communities,” said Prof Medema, via a media release issued on Tuesday (Apr 16) by the organisers of Singapore International Water Week.
The event, now in its 10th edition, is held once every two years, gathering leaders and experts to tackle urban water and associated climate challenges.
As COVID-19 emerged in early 2020, Prof Medema, a principal microbiologist at the Netherlands’ KWR Water Research Institute, and his team were the first to detect the presence of the Sars-CoV-2 virus in wastewater in the Netherlands, even before infections were officially reported in certain cities.
Recognising the importance of early detection of COVID-19, he quickly pivoted his team’s research to focus on curbing the spread of the coronavirus through wastewater surveillance.
His groundbreaking research on wastewater-based epidemiology as a tool for public health surveillance rapidly received worldwide attention, with his first publication on the subject garnering over 1,400 citations and more than 34,000 views between 2020 and 2023.
Compared to other detection methods such as nasal swabs, wastewater testing proved to be a cost-effective and non-invasive method for tracking the spread of COVID-19. It has been particularly valuable in areas with limited access to clinical testing or where asymptomatic transmission is a concern.
The method has since been adopted globally, with more than 4,000 sites in 72 countries, including Singapore, adopting wastewater surveillance of COVID-19. Prof Medema himself is directly connected to about 30 per cent of those programmes.
The Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize is “a recognition of the hard work of many people in the water sector globally, collecting COVID-19 data from wastewater to support our society’s response to the pandemic”, said the 62-year-old Prof Medema.
“This tightens the connections between the water and health sectors”.
PUB chief executive Ong Tze-Ch’in congratulates Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize 2024 Laureate Professor Gertjan Medema. (Photo: Singapore International Water Week)
Thanks to his research, Singapore's National Environment Agency’s (NEA) Environmental Health Institute (EHI), national water agency PUB, Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX) and other partners from local universities and research institutes implemented wastewater-based epidemiology processes as an early warning system for COVID-19 outbreaks at the start of the pandemic in 2020.
Singapore’s wastewater sampling network today covers more than 500 sites, including water reclamation plants, workers’ dormitories, residential areas, town centres, student hostels and welfare homes.
Apart from COVID-19, the network is now also used to monitor Zika transmission in Singapore.
Earlier this year, Singapore authorities found via wastewater testing a “persistent” presence of the Zika virus in Boon Lay, despite only one case of the mosquito-borne virus being reported.
“In the current post-pandemic world, wastewater monitoring is now firmly established as a tool for public health surveillance for an increasing number of diseases,” said Prof Medema.
Related:
With decades of research revolving around understanding the transmission of waterborne pathogens and
antimicrobial resistance via water systems, Prof Medema's work includes developing methods for detecting
and tracing pathogens such as viruses, bacteria and parasites in water.
Apart from his research on wastewater-based epidemiology, Prof Medema also advises the World Health Organization on microbiological drinking water guidelines, as well as the European Commission on the EU Drinking Water Directives and water reuse guidelines.
Prof Medema is the 10th recipient of the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize since its inception in 2008.
The previous winner, Prof Kazuo Yamamoto of Japan, was awarded the prize in 2020 for his pioneering work in developing the submerged membrane bioreactor, which has transformed the sewage treatment process.
Prof Medema will receive a cash prize of S$300,000 sponsored by the Temasek Foundation, as well as an award certificate and a gold medallion from President Tharman Shanmugaratnam at a ceremony on Jun 18.
He will also deliver a keynote lecture on Jun 19 during the Singapore International Water Week 2024, which is expected to be attended by 500 global water leaders, 2,000 delegates, and more than 30,000 trade visitors.
Continue reading...