High COVID levels were found in NC wastewater. Could Charlotte, Raleigh see a surge?
COVID-19 virus levels are rising sharply at wastewater treatment plants in Charlotte and Raleigh, potentially indicating a surge in cases.
Of the seven combined treatment plants in Charlotte and Raleigh, six saw significant spikes in virus particle levels within the last few weeks, N.C. Department of Health and Human Services data shows.
▪ At three plants in Charlotte, the number of viral gene copies per person doubled from July 23 to Aug. 6, according to the most recent data available from NCDHHS.
▪ The number of viral gene copies per person at a plant in Raleigh sat at 21 million on July 24, before spiking to 200 million on Aug. 7, data shows.
How can wastewater help detect COVID spread?
Wastewater can be an important tool for scientists who study SARS-CoV-2, according to the CDC. Here’s how:
Wastewater data showing the percent change in virus levels can be used with other data, like the overall levels of the virus in the water and historical wastewater for a particular location. Levels of the virus in wastewater could be an indicator of how well prevention strategies are working.
Small changes in the level of virus in wastewater can be an early signal that the number of people with COVID-19 in a community is rising or falling.
State and local health officials can use wastewater data to predict trends in COVID-19 transmission and respond accordingly.
COVID hospitalizations in Mecklenburg County
A federal mandate that required hospitals to report COVID cases ended in May, Axios reported, but local health data could indicate that cases are on the rise.
From July 19 to Aug. 1, there were 827 emergency department visits for COVID-19-like illness, according to data from the Mecklenburg County Health Department. Of those ED visits, 81 resulted in hospital admission.
That’s a slight increase from the previous two-week period, when there were 78 hospital admissions for COVID-19-like illness.
“COVID-19-like illness” is defined as “fever and cough or shortness of breath or difficulty breathing with or without the presence of a coronavirus diagnosis code,” according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Wastewater data usually corresponds with the number of cases reported in a particular area, and people should be cautious despite the low number of hospitalizations compared to previous months, Virginia Guidry, the branch head for occupational and environmental epidemiology at NCDHHS, previously told The Charlotte Observer.
“We’re pretty confident in our wastewater data as a way to measure what’s going on in the community,” Guidry said. “And it captures both symptomatic and asymptomatic folks, regardless of whether they get tested, and that is one the real advantages of wastewater monitoring.”
Should you get the COVID vaccine?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends all people aged 6 months and older receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
Vaccinations are especially important for those at higher risk of severe viral respiratory disease, NCDHHS told the Observer, including:
- People 65 years and older
- Children younger than 5
- Pregnant women
- Those with a weakened immune system
- Those with certain medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease and obesity
This story was originally published August 15, 2024 at 5:30 AM with the headline "High COVID levels were found in NC wastewater. Could Charlotte, Raleigh see a surge?."
