Saskatoon, Prince Albert, North Battleford see continued surge in wastewater COVID-19 levels
SASKATOON -
The evidence of COVID-19 in Saskatoon’s wastewater last week rocketed above even the previous week’s record-setting mark.
“This increase in viral RNA load is indicative of an increase in ... infections in Saskatoon, which – in a partially vaccinated population – may or may not be reflected by an increase in case numbers in upcoming weeks,” University of Saskatchewan researchers said in their weekly update.
They detected a 45 per cent increase from Aug. 18 and samples from Aug. 22 and 25 showed the highest RNA load ever measured in Saskatoon's wastewater.
Samples from Aug. 15 and 17 had previously held that title, in a week that saw a 348 per cent increase.
Prince Albert saw a 413 per cent increase last week while North Battleford saw a 13-fold (1,230 per cent) week-over-week increase
All of the viral RNA load in the three cities’ wastewater is contributed by the Delta variant.
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