“Very high” levels of SARS-CoV-2—the virus that causes COVID-19—have been detected in wastewater samples in the U.S.
Between October 27 and November 2, wastewater sampling from New Mexico revealed “very high” levels of the virus, with “high” levels being detected in Oregon, Arkansas, and Maine, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Meanwhile, “moderate” levels were detected in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, Virginia, and Wyoming.
Additionally, 19 states have “low” levels, and 13 states and D.C. have “minimal” levels, according to the CDC.
However, South Dakota, New Hampshire, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, and Virginia all have limited coverage, meaning that “data for the most recent week are based on a small part (less than 5 percent) of the population and may not represent viral activity levels for the entire state,” the CDC explains.
This data represents a change from last week, where “very high” levels of viral activity were detected in Montana, and “high” levels in Arkansas, Maine, Minnesota, Nebraska and Wyoming.
The level of viruses in wastewater, especially when tracking viruses like SARS-CoV-2, is used to gauge the presence and spread of infections in a community. By analyzing the genetic material (like viral RNA) present in sewage, scientists can estimate the number of infected individuals in a given area, including those who may not have been tested or are asymptomatic.
“Wastewater (sewage) can be tested to detect traces of infectious diseases circulating in a community, even if people don’t have symptoms,” the CDC states. “You can use these data as an early warning that levels of infections may be increasing or decreasing in your community.”
This method is especially helpful for early detection of outbreaks, as changes in wastewater virus levels can indicate a rise in cases before symptoms appear in the population or testing data reflects the increase.
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National COVID wastewater levels appear to be the lowest they have been since June, although levels in the Midwest seem to be on the rise in recent weeks.
A recent surge in COVID-19 cases has been mainly driven by a new set of subvariants, known as FLiRT, named for the locations of mutations on the virus’s spike proteins—the structures that allow it to enter human cells.
These spike proteins also serve as targets for the immune system and vaccines, so changes in their makeup may enable the virus to evade the body’s defenses more effectively. However, current vaccines are still expected to offer some protection against severe illness and long COVID-19.
As of November 2, the leading subvariant, KP.3.1.1 made up over 45 percent of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. over the prior two weeks, while the new XEC variant accounted for 9 percent, according to the CDC. KP.3 made up 21 percent, JN.1 made up 10 percent, and “other” made up 15 percent.
“There is no evidence, and no particular reason to believe, that XEC causes different symptoms than all the other SARS-CoV-2 currently in circulation,” Professor Francois Balloux, a computational systems biologist at University College London in England, previously told Newsweek. “XEC is not expected to cause more (or less) severe symptoms than other lineages currently in circulation.”
While COVID levels across the U.S. have been dropping since the summer, the “high” and “very high” levels in some states may indicate that winter infections may be about to leap.
Symptoms of COVID, according to the CDC, include:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- New loss of taste or smell
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
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