More COVID-19 in Sudbury, Ont., wastewater now than at the same time last year
CBC
The amount of COVID-19 present in Greater Sudbury's wastewater is higher now than it was during the same time last year, when numbers were very low.
Gustavo Ybazeta, researcher with the Health Sciences North Research Institute in Sudbury, Ont., has been monitoring the presence of COVID-19 in the city's wastewater.
Ybazeta said the viral load in the city's wastewater varies between five to 10 parts per millilitre. During the same time last year, it was closer to zero.
But the more highly transmittable Omicron variant had not yet been detected in the community by September 2021.
The current numbers mean the virus continues to be present in the community.
"We need to be careful, we need to think that it is still transmitting in our community and anything can go in any direction," Ybazeta said.
He added that he recommends people continue to wear masks while indoors.
"This has been proved to be a good way to avoid transmission," he said.
Ybazeta said more people in the community are also vaccinated against the virus, which helps prevent severe complications.
As of Sept. 20, the most recent date with available data, Public Health Sudbury and Districts said the risk of infection in the community was moderate.
The health unit's COVID-19 Risk Index looks at factors such as hospitalizations, viral load in wastewater and active outbreaks to determine the risk of infection.
As of Sept. 27, the Health Sciences North hospital in Sudbury had 24 patients admitted for COVID-19, including two people in the intensive care unit.
The hospital also reported it had 53 past positive patients, who had previously tested positive for the virus. Two of them were admitted to the intensive care unit.
