The latter will now try to determine which variant it is but due to a lack of feces in the water, it seems difficult.
The sample examined on Saturday was smaller than expected by the researchers, explained Elke Wollants, laboratory manager at the Rega Institute. “We wanted a thicker substance, a real stool sample. There it was mostly water with a bit of dirt, which we didn’t think we’d find anything in. The fact that the sample tested positive means that some people on the plane were infected with the coronavirus. The sample also tested negative for RSV and influenza.
The next step in the research is to see which variant of the coronavirus is involved, a task complicated by the absence of fecal matter. “We’ll see if anything pops up. Anything other than Omicron is worrying, because it would be new here,” the manager continued.