COVID map update shows shift in 'very high' water virus levels

“Very high” levels of SARS-CoV-2 – the virus that causes COVID-19 – have been found in wastewater samples in the US

Between October 27 and November 2, wastewater samples from New Mexico returned “very high” levels of the virus, with “high” levels found in Oregon, Arkansas and, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Maine were found. .

Meanwhile, “moderate” levels were found 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 DC 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 is based on a small portion (less than 5 percent) of the population and may not reflect virus activity levels.” .” for the entire state,” explains the CDC.

This data represents a change from last week, when “very high” levels of virus activity were found in Montana and “high” levels in Arkansas, Maine, Minnesota, Nebraska and Wyoming.

Virus levels in wastewater, particularly when tracking viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, are used to estimate the presence and spread of infections in a community. By analyzing the genetic material (such as viral RNA) present in wastewater, scientists can estimate the number of infected people in a given area, including those who may not have been tested or are asymptomatic.

“Wastewater (wastewater) can be tested to detect traces of infectious diseases circulating in a community, even if people do not have symptoms,” explains the CDC. “You can use this data as an early warning that the infection rate in your community may be increasing or decreasing.”

This method is particularly useful for early detection of outbreaks because changes in virus levels in wastewater can indicate a rise in cases before symptoms appear in the population or testing data reflects the surge.

Statewide COVID wastewater levels appear to be at their lowest level since June, although levels in the Midwest appear to have increased in recent weeks.

The recent surge in COVID-19 cases has been driven primarily by a new group of sub-variants known as FLiRT, named for the sites of mutations on the virus's spike proteins – the structures that allow it to enter humans to invade cells.

These spike proteins also serve as targets for the immune system and vaccines, so changes in their composition could allow the virus to better evade the body's defenses. However, current vaccines are still expected to provide some protection against severe disease and long-term COVID-19 illness.

According to the CDC, as of Nov. 2, the leading subvariant KP.3.1.1 accounted for over 45 percent of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. over the past two weeks, while the new XEC variant accounted for 9 percent. KP.3 accounted for 21 percent, JN.1 10 percent and “Other” 15 percent.

“There is no evidence and no particular reason to believe that XEC causes different symptoms than any other SARS-CoV-2 currently circulating,” Professor Francois Balloux, a computational systems biologist at University College London in England, previously told Newsweek. “XEC is not expected to cause any more (or less) severe symptoms than other lineages currently circulating.”

While COVID levels across the U.S. have fallen since the summer, the “high” and “very high” levels in some states could indicate that infections could soon spike in the winter.

According to the CDC, symptoms of COVID include:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Sore throat
• Stuffy or runny nose
• New loss of taste or smell
• fatigue
• Muscle or body pain
• Headache
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

Is there a health problem that concerns you? Do you have a question about COVID-19? Let us know at [email protected]. We can ask experts for advice and your story could be featured in Newsweek.