Bloomington’s wastewater levels show a high concentration of SARS-CoV-2, an indicator of COVID-19, according to WastewaterSCAN.
WastewaterSCAN is a program based at Stanford University that monitors infectious diseases in sewage nationwide.
The report, which displays data from a 90-day period, shows that SARS-CoV-2 was the most prominent in early November, with over 1 billion SARS–CoV–2 nucleic acids collected Nov. 3. Levels stood at 320 million SARS–CoV–2 nucleic acids as of Dec. 11.
WastewaterSCAN’s interactive map shows that Bloomington has a higher level of SARS-Cov-2 than the national average. All other monitored diseases in Bloomington are at low levels of concentration, except for norovirus, which is ranked medium.
WastewaterSCAN also monitors South Bend and Carmel, which both had medium levels of SARS-Cov-2, indicating levels closer to the national average.
In the City of Bloomington Utilities' report on the monitoring of wastewater in 2020, the city found infectious disease levels changed faster on college campuses.
“In broader community settings, changes in the trajectory of SARS-CoV-2 activity appear to occur on timescales of a month or more, given that these changes reflect trends in the overall epidemic in a community as a whole,” the report reads. “In college campus settings, changes in the trajectory of SARS-CoV-2 activity were detectable on a timescale of one to two weeks, consistent with the more episodic nature of small outbreaks on some college campuses.”
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the current most dominant strain is XFG, or the Stratus variant, which stems from the Omicron variant of COVID-19. The Stratus variant produces similar symptoms as previous variants, including congestion, cough and a fever, according to an article from Ohio State University.
To stop the spread of COVID-19, the CDC recommends practicing good hygiene by washing hands and keeping frequently used surfaces clean. The CDC also suggests taking steps for cleaner air, including purifying the air in homes, as respiratory illness can spread through the air.
The CDC says keeping up with vaccines can help with the spread of COVID-19. It recommends vaccinations as the safest health option for avoiding long-term effects, hospitalization or death from COVID- 19.
In Bloomington, IU Health’s two urgent care locations offer COVID-19 vaccines. CVS has COVID-19 vaccination appointments available at its seven Bloomington locations. Free COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters are available to IU faculty, staff and students at the Student Health Center.
