Amount of SARS-CoV-2 virus in St. Paul wastewater highest since July
ST. PAUL, Minn – The amount of COVID-19 RNA found in St. Paul's wastewater keeps rising.
The total viral RNA load entering St. Paul's Metro Plant last week increased by 24% compared to the levels two weeks ago. Additionally, last week's load is 54% higher than it was three weeks ago.
As Metropolitan Council cites in their report, this is the highest load of COVID-19 RNA reported since the week of July 5, 2022.
According to the report, COVID-19 variant BA.5 constituted 91% of the viral load, and variants BA.4 and BA.2 represented 2% and 7% of the RNA entering Metro Plant last week, respectively.
BQ.1 is a subvariant of BA.5, and currently makes up 58% of the viral RNA entering the Metro Plant.
The amount of SARS-CoV-2 RNA found in wastewater is indicative of how many individuals are experiencing COVID-19.