The UK Health Security Agency announced an expansion of its wastewater surveillance programme on September 25, 2026, to monitor sewage systems for dangerous pathogens including Ebola, Marburg virus, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, and Lassa fever. While none of the four viruses have emerged in the UK, the surveillance initiative aims to improve early detection and pandemic preparedness across urban settings, transport hubs, and hospital facilities.
Expansion of UK Wastewater Surveillance
England’s sewer systems will soon undergo regular testing for some of the world’s most lethal pathogens under a widened surveillance protocol managed by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Professor Robin May, chief scientific officer at the UKHSA, stated that the agency set out to explore whether new technologies could improve the detection of dangerous pathogens in wastewater and strengthen preparedness for future pandemics.
Although viruses such as Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever and Ebola remain absent from the country, the expanded monitoring network establishes a mechanism to spot them early if they ever arrive. The project builds on more than a decade of wastewater testing for poliovirus across the UK.
The scheme, known as Prism, initially tracked the winter vomiting bug norovirus during its early phases. This allowed public health officials to distinguish between different circulating strains of the virus. The system continues to track norovirus, providing health authorities with concrete data regarding the behavior of seasonal pathogens that create winter pressures for the National Health Service.
Target Pathogens and Global Threat Lists
Ebola, Marburg virus, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, and Lassa fever all feature prominently on the World Health Organization’s list of health threats. These pathogens are similarly classified by the UKHSA as significant pandemic risks.
Marburg virus is characterized as an eye-bleeding disease. Ebola is a rare but severe illness that attacks the immune system and can cause organ failure. Public health officials emphasize that Ebola is not airborne; transmission requires close contact with an infected person or animal.
Outbreaks of Ebola in Africa have drawn international concern in recent years. The Democratic Republic of Congo has experienced a major epidemic responsible for more than 3,000 deaths. In June, the UKHSA issued an urgent public health message advising all NHS hospitals, general practitioner surgeries, and clinics to remain alert for suspected cases of the virus. Informational posters have also been installed at major UK airports and train stations to reach passengers returning from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
Future Reach and Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring
In addition to tracking viral hemorrhagic fevers, the Prism surveillance network evaluates wastewater samples for antimicrobial resistance (AMR). AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites adapt over time and no longer respond to standard medications.
Raju Misra, scientific lead at the UKHSA, outlined future ambitions for the programme. While current testing focuses largely on urban settings, hospitals, and transport hubs, officials aim to expand sampling into peri-urban and rural areas. This broader geographic capture is designed to examine how animal effluent feeds into the acquisition and transmission of new diseases across the population.
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