Missouri health and environmental officials will soon test wastewater statewide to determine where and when coronavirus outbreaks could occur. 

Researchers have been testing wastewater for the coronavirus at several sites in St. Louis and Springfield since late May and are expanding the program to 64 more sites statewide starting this week.

Wastewater contains genetic remnants of the coronavirus. Monitoring sewage will allow state and local health departments to know which communities could be susceptible to a large outbreak before many residents start showing symptoms, said Marc Johnson, a molecular biologist and professor at the University of Missouri.