Scientists Find Coronavirus in Indian Lakes & River
A recent study by researchers at IIT Gandhinagar in Gujarat has established the presence of coronavirus in water samples from the Sabarmati river and two lakes in Ahmedabad.
A recent study by researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Gandhinagar in Gujarat. The study was conducted between September and December 2020 and water samples were collected from the Sabarmati river, Chandola Lake and Kankaria Lake in Ahmedabad. The research was funded by UNICEF - United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund. The study established the presence of coronavirus in water samples from the Sabarmati river and the two lakes in Ahmedabad. Professor Manish Kumar, who led the research said, “Through their research they found the coronavirus in the water sample, but they do not know whether the virus is dead or alive. They have to study this further to prevent any problems in the future.
Although virus transmission through water is not proven yet, further research on this is a must.” He claimed that if coronavirus genes reached the surface water through urine or excreta of COVID-19 patients, then the genes would have been dead. However, the genes might have been alive if they came from the mouth of a COVID-19 patient, such as through gargled water. They are not sure yet and research is going on.
