Some 17 US states have detected “very high” levels of COVID-19 in their wastewater, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
A rise in levels of COVID-19 found in wastewater can signal that more people are getting infected. Newsweek has analyzed official figures to create a map illustrating the highest rates of COVID-19 in their wastewater.
People infected with coronavirus can spread the virus during daily activities such as going to the toilet and blowing their nose. The virus enters the sewer system through sinks, drains, and toilets. Fragments of SARS-CoV-2 can be detected in samples of wastewater.
Sewage can be tested to detect traces of infectious diseases circulating in a community, even if people don’t have symptoms. The data can be used as an early warning that levels of infection may be increasing or decreasing in certain areas, often detecting infections before clinical tests do.
The map shows viral activity levels of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, measured by wastewater treatment plants nationwide. It is categorized into five levels: minimal, low, moderate, high, and very high.
Kate Fowlie, a spokesperson for the CDC, told Newsweek: “State and local health officials track a variety of data and put this information together to understand the local situation and decide how to best respond to prevent disease spread.
“Public health officials watch for sustained increasing levels of specific viruses or bacteria in wastewater and use these data to alert clinicians, hospitals, and the community so that they can quickly take appropriate action to safeguard people’s health.
“Nationally, wastewater data has been showing increasing SARS-CoV-2 wastewater viral activity levels for the past few weeks. This week, the national level is high but remains lower than the peak from this past winter respiratory season. As of July 18, 2024, SARS-CoV-2 wastewater viral activity levels are highest in the West.
“There is no information to date that anyone has become sick with COVID-19 because of direct exposure to treated or untreated wastewater. Wastewater treatment plants use chemical and other disinfection processes to remove and degrade many viruses and bacteria. The virus that causes COVID-19 is inactivated by the disinfection methods used in wastewater treatment.”
Wastewater tells us a lot about how much COVID-19 is in a community. By testing the water that goes down our drains, scientists can detect traces of the virus. This helps public health officials determine how widespread the virus is, even if people aren’t showing symptoms.
Wastewater data also provide important information about whether the virus is increasing, decreasing, or staying the same in a community.
If the levels of COVID-19 in wastewater start to go up, it can signal that more people are getting infected. This helps communities take action faster to control the spread of the virus.
The CDC launched the National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS) in September 2020. It was created and developed to track the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater samples collected across the country.
The CDC’s wastewater surveillance system analyzes data on multiple viruses and bacteria in wastewater, including SARS-CoV-2, influenza A, and pox.
If you see increased wastewater viral activity levels of COVID-19 in your area, it might suggest a higher risk of infection. If COVID-19 levels are very high, people should take steps to protect themselves and their families from illness.
The COIVD-10 pandemic ripped through the world in 2020 and has killed 1,194,638 Americans. The first reported American case was on 20 January during the Trump administration. The first known death from the deadly virus came in February. Former President Donald Trump didn’t declare a national emergency until 13 March.
The U.S. response to the COVID-19 outbreak was criticized as being slow in stopping international travel, rolling out mass testing, and stockpiling PPE.
Globally, many countries were also criticized for acting too slowly and 7,010,681 people have died from the coronavirus outbreak as of April 2024.
