Wastewater data shows COVID-19 viral load decreasing in Twin Cities

MINNEAPOLIS -- Wastewater data from the Twin Cities area indicates that COVID-19 viral loads decreased in the last week.

According to the Metropolitan Council, total RNA viral load entering the metro plant decreased by 7% last week compared to the week before.

The subvariant BA.5 is by far the dominant form of the virus, making up 81% of the viral load. It's up from 79% a week before, but total BA.5 RNA decreased by 5%.

Health officials on Thursday reported an average of 945 COVID-19 cases a day over the past week, bringing the state's total case count to 1,601,006 since the onset of the pandemic.