COVID-19 wastewater levels rise 106% in the United States

COVID-19 levels in United States wastewater have increased by 106 percent from July to August, according to the Stanford-run monitoring program WastewaterSCAN. Data indicates a steady upward trend in SARS-CoV-2 concentrations since late June.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that infections are growing or likely growing in all 50 states. While test positivity rates have risen to approximately 4 percent, experts note that hospitalizations and deaths have not followed the same trajectory as infection rates.

Experts from the Pandemic Mitigation Collaborative expect transmission to peak in early September. Although infections are rising, officials emphasize that the current surge does not currently mirror the severity of previous waves in terms of clinical outcomes.