Wastewater Testing Reveals “Very High” COVID-19 Levels in California and Other States

Wastewater testing is detecting “very high” levels of COVID-19 in California and other western states, according to a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) dashboard. As of July 18, the dashboard also shows very high levels for Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Minnesota, Florida, North Carolina, West Virginia, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maryland, Alaska, and Hawaii.

Although the federal government no longer tracks COVID-19 levels directly, it monitors wastewater levels as “an early warning that levels of infections may be increasing or decreasing,” according to the CDC.

Current COVID-19 Trends

For the week ending on July 13, levels across the West were lower than they were last winter but higher than they were in July 2023. NBC News reported that summer travel and people staying indoors to escape the heat could be contributing to more infections.

The latest information from the CDC shows the KP.3 variant as the dominant strain in the West and the country overall. KP.3 is similar to the “FLiRT” variants KP.1.1 and KP.2, all descending from the dominant winter variant JN.1. All belong to the Omicron family, according to Prevention.com, with symptoms similar to those of past COVID-19 strains.

Local Health Observations

“We’re seeing a lot of people coming in both for treatment and for vaccination and for testing,” Clint Hopkins, CEO of Pucci’s Pharmacy in East Sacramento, told KCRA 3 last week. Hopkins noted that people seem to be more severely affected by this new strain of COVID-19 compared to previous ones.

Dr. Vanessa Walker, the chief medical executive for Sutter Roseville Medical Center, called the virus a “master masquerader.” She explained, “It just continues to find new ways to develop, new ways to evade the immune system. And so as these new variants come out, they are just slightly different than previous strains. It’s harder for our body to fight them.”

Regional COVID-19 Data

On Tuesday, Fresno County’s Department of Public Health reported “high” and increasing levels of COVID-19 in wastewater in the San Joaquin Valley. The county emphasized that older adults and individuals with weakened immune systems are at greatest risk for hospitalization and death from COVID-19 and are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated. “COVID-19 vaccines remain one of the most effective tools to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and prevent severe illness,” the county said.

Sacramento County officials directed KCRA 3 to another dashboard that showed “medium” levels of COVID-19 in wastewater for the area. The same dashboard indicated high levels in Turlock and across the Bay Area.

As COVID-19 continues to evolve and spread, public health officials urge vaccination and adherence to recommended health practices to mitigate the impact of new variants.