There are concerns that COVID-19 could be spreading more rapidly again in New York City, after wastewater plants have detected increases in viral signals.
Most of the city’s 14 wastewater treatment plants are in the “high” detection level category, according to ABC News. That translates to 50 or more cases per 100,000 people. But even though the viral signal is increasing, that doesn’t necessarily translate to detectable cases of COVID-19.
Health experts say that wastewater data shows how much virus people are shedding. But because more people now have some degree of protection from COVID-19, either from vaccines, previous infections or both, more people may have asymptomatic cases. That could keep hospitalizations and deaths relatively low, compared to other points of the pandemic, even if the virus spread just as widely.
It won’t be clear for a few weeks whether that’s the case. People shed the virus in the early stages of infection, so any increase in cases won’t be seen immediately.
In New Hampshire, most wastewater monitoring sites are at low or undetectable levels. Notable exceptions are in Berlin and Portsmouth, which are at moderate levels.
Note: This newsletter has been distributed daily, first seven days a week and then five days a week, since early in the pandemic. Because of the end of the state and federal public health emergencies, we will soon be shifting to a weekly schedule.
Send any questions or comments to Kirk Enstrom at [email protected].
New Hampshire COVID-19 Information: