ON THE COVER
PETA DE JAGER Senior Research Group Leader
DR MATHETHA MOKONYAMA Transport Systems & Operations Manager
environmental water samples, and develop an epidemiological approach of tracking COVID-19 in South Africa. The SARS-COV-2 has been reported in wastewater in Australia, China, France, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands and the United States of America. The concept of screening municipal sewage as an epidemiological tool for viruses is not new, and has been successfully implemented for environmental polio virus screening, as well as early warning of hepatitis A and norovirus outbreaks. SARS-CoV-2 screening in raw sewage water using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction measures the virus circulation in a defined population, for example, a city or a smaller municipality feeding from the same wastewater treatment works. The CSIR is using its capabilities in epidemiological data management and integration with existing national reporting platforms to develop a method for comparing the estimated number of infections in communities with reported values.
been a long-standing partner of the CSIR in South Africa and has co-operated in various fields of research, including manufacturing and mining. CEO of Siemens for Southern and Eastern Africa, Sabine Dall’Omo, says that in March this year, when Europe said it did not have enough ventilators, Siemens decided to partner with the CSIR to develop a locally engineered version. Dall’Omo explains that Siemens designed and supplied the software, so it would have two outlets. “One is our software and team centre out of our Product Lifecycle Management software that enables us to stimulate digital twins so that you don’t have to go into prototype production and, ultimately, optimise. This is because you don’t want to have a product that’s ISO-certified and can’t be used post-pandemic in the supply. It should be used whenever it’s needed and not just as a crisis solution. If the correct paperwork is not done and the standards are not adhered to, it might not be supplied later into the market—and these are really innovative ideas.” Throughout this process, Siemens has created innovative solutions that should stay on the market long after the COVID-19 pandemic has passed. In July, the CSIR produced (or has
Siemens partners with the CSIR Innovation leader Siemens has
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started production on) the ventilators with a team of suppliers. It has funding for 10 000 ventilators in South Africa. From the value, engineering and software side, Siemens is contributing about R8 million to that project to make sure things are moving forward. Here is the link for the video of this project: https://youtu.be/-Jc21N6jwVw Dall’Omo adds, “We’re currently also working with the Department of Health in the Eastern Cape and Gauteng to identify how we can participate in alleviating the health crisis specifically in the hospital environment. We’re proud to have been the technology partner on this project with the CSIR to provide the Product Lifecycle Management software support.”
Expert insight for modelling of COVID-19
Professor Pravesh Debba, manager for Spatial Planning and Systems at the CSIR, is leading a group of digital modellers and collaborators who aim to share critical information, knowledge and data with the national Department of Health, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) and other government departments, in responding effectively to the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Data science as well as statistical and mathematical modelling are at the forefront of understanding the spread of the outbreak and being able to forecast the number of deaths; test different strategies and interventions; determine the number of those who are critically ill at a specific point in time at a particular location; as well as determine if there are adequate intensive-care unit beds, ventilators and other critical resources within our healthcare system. “One of the greatest challenges in adequately responding to such disasters lies in the weakness of our systems when it comes to collecting
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