Surging California wastewater readings signal 'very high' COVID levels

San Francisco Chronicle / July 17, 2024

As severe heat drove Bay Area residents indoors, a ripple effect may have triggered a spike in coronavirus infections and COVID-19 diagnoses across the region.

California is now one of seven states where wastewater levels of the coronavirus have soared to the “very high” mark for the first time since winter, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The swell is evident in various indicators, including a rising number of repeat and first-time infections. The summer surge is driven by more transmissible variants of SARS-CoV-2, waning immunity from vaccinations, and more people letting down their guard.

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Statewide, emergency room visits are up by 15% compared with the previous week, and the coronavirus test positivity rate has leapt to 13% from a low of 1.8% just three months ago. California is one of 45 states currently experiencing a rise in infections, with none reporting declines, CDC figures show.

Link (paywall): https://www.sfchronicle.com/health/article/surging-california-wastewater-readings-signal-19578050.php