Yuma agriculture lab helps prevent COVID-19 outbreaks, now expanding to other targets

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - The Yuma Center of Excellence for Desert Agriculture (YCEDA) helped prevent COVID-19 outbreaks in Yuma County using wastewater-based epidemiology.

Now the testing will be expanded to other targets supporting One Health research.

Since the lab's inception, its funding has grown to over $3.5 million, according to YCEDA. 

This collaboration between public health and wastewater testing, requiring the expertise of a range of professionals across multiple industries is considered a One Health approach to solving the world's most complicated issues.  

One Health is the intersection between animal health, human health and environmental health.