The Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection has commissioned the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES) to set up and operate a national reference centre for wastewater monitoring. The aim of this reference centre, in conjunction with other monitoring systems, is to provide a comprehensive picture of the incidence of infection in Austria, to monitor it closely and to detect changes in the incidence of infection at an early stage.

Since November 2025, AGES has been analysing 20 wastewater samples per week from selected wastewater treatment plants in all nine federal states. The samples are analysed regularly using standardised methods. The focus is on three pathogens that have a significant impact on public health:

• Influenza
• Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
• SARS CoV 2

Wastewater monitoring provides valuable information on trends - such as increasing or decreasing infection numbers, changes in SARS-CoV-2 variants - often before these become visible in medical care. This allows public health measures to be better prepared and coordinated in a timely manner. The results are continuously updated and made available in a timely manner. They can be accessed via the following link: https://abwasser.ages.at

• Sample logistics
• Standardised laboratory analysis
• Centralised data management
• Prompt provision of results via the dashboard
• Operation & further development of the reference centre
• Collaboration with national and international partners
• Integrated surveillance
• Consultancy services