TORONTO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) partners with Kraken Sense, a leader in real-time pathogen detection devices, in a study funded in part by the Assistance Program National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research (NRC IRAP) to test airport wastewater for Monkeypox and Omicron, a variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Kraken Sense is testing multiple sewage samples at Toronto Pearson Airport using its technology to obtain quantitative results in less than an hour without sacrificing result accuracy unlike traditional PCR technology, which can take days to complete. be executed.
“We are proud to be part of this initiative with the GTAA, which is the first of its kind in Canada. By carrying out these daily tests, we are able to provide information on the main variants circulating in the population to curb epidemics. Kraken Sense, we take every opportunity to improve public health and safety measures through state-of-the-art technology,” said Dr. Sarah Mishriki, Product Development Scientist at Kraken Sense. “This collaboration using KRAKEN technology has the potential to improve disease surveillance in Canada and around the world.”
The KRAKEN Pathogen Detection Device is completely self-contained, using automated real-time PCR technology to continuously monitor any liquid-based sample for bacteria and viruses on up to three targets at a time. The KRAKEN device can be programmed to automatically draw raw samples from the device at a desired rate while performing all sample preparation and analysis autonomously on the device. Quantified results are uploaded to the cloud for long-term sample tracking. With strain-specific capabilities, the KRAKEN can identify the exact variant present in a sample. As such, it is possible to provide health authorities with a clear picture of the strains present in wastewater effluent from airport terminals and aircraft.
“As Canada’s airports return to full capacity, we are thrilled to partner with the GTAA and look forward to making transformative progress to keep us safe together,” said Nisha Sarveswaran, CEO of Kraken Sense.
Sewage monitoring is crucial for early detection, as infected people can shed pathogens before showing symptoms. Using Kraken Sense technology, quantified results are available in real time, enabling rapid and accurate identification of multiple strains of COVID-19. Since the KRAKEN tests accumulated wastewater from aircraft and terminals, the tests are non-intrusive and do not slow down passenger traffic at airports.
Early detection can provide advance warning of a possible outbreak. Wastewater monitoring is essential for identifying infectious disease threats before they compromise public health, and KRAKEN is the first fully autonomous real-time pathogen detection platform that can provide continuous monitoring of potential outbreaks. of pathogens, providing information that can support public health efforts.
About Kraken Sense:
Kraken Sense is a leading developer of autonomous real-time pathogen detection devices. Our mission is to make pathogen detection fast, easy and accessible to everyone. With the advent of new, fast-spreading pathogenic diseases, as well as increasing pressure on food and water resources around the world, it is more important than ever to ensure that pathogen detection is fast, accurate, self-sustaining and non-invasive.
About the Greater Toronto Airports Authority
The Greater Toronto Airports Authority is the operator of Toronto’s Lester B. Pearson International Airport, Canada’s largest airport and a vital link between people, business and goods. Toronto Pearson has been named “Best Large Airport in North America Serving Over 40 Million Passengers” for five consecutive years by Airports Council International (ACI), the global trade representative of the world’s airports. In recognition of its Healthy Airport program, the ACI also awarded Toronto Pearson the award for “Best Hygiene Measures in North America” for three consecutive years, and Toronto Pearson was the first Canadian airport to receive accreditation. ICA Global Health Award for its response to COVID-19.
“Travel aficionado. Twitter scholar. Writer. Extreme coffee guru. Evil pop culture fanatic.”