The USask Global Institute for Water Security wastewater survey for Prince Albert shows that the COVID-19 viral RNA load in Prince Albert’s wastewater has increased by 101.1 per cent according to their report weekly report released on Monday.
The number is based on averages of three individual daily measurements in this reporting period up to Aug. 22 compared to the weekly average of the previous week.
This week’s viral load of 204,000 SARS-CoV-2 is an increase in viral load compared to last week. The overall trend over the recent weeks is upward.
This is the seventh largest value since the beginning of 2022 and greatest value observed in 18 weeks.
This concentration of viral particles is considered large because it is greater than a 10-week average of 63,000 gene/copies in Prince Albert..
The proportions of SARS-CoV-2 RNA load in Prince Albert’s wastewater by variant were: BA.2.21.1: 33.4 per cent, other BA.2: 51.1 per cent, BA.5: 27.9per cent and non-Omicron lineages: 0.0 per cent.
According to the Global Water Institute the proportion of BA.5 only represented Aug 8. They said that they are in the process of confirming the proportion for the remaining two days.
All data has been shared with Saskatchewan health authorities.
The research team is also screening for the top three variants of concern: Alpha (B.1.1.7), Gamma (P.1) and Delta (B.1.617). Additional variants will be added to the panel as the situation evolves.
USask and Global Water Futures researchers are using wastewater-based epidemiology to monitor for SARS-CoV-2 (the virus causing COVID-19) in Saskatoon, Prince Albert, and North Battleford wastewater, providing early warning of infection outbreaks. This work is being done in partnership with the Saskatchewan Health Authority, Public Health Agency of Canada, City of Saskatoon, City of Prince Albert and City of North Battleford.
This variant tracking data should be seen merely as an indicator of trends which need to be verified using sequencing technology through the Public Health Agency of Canada. Because individuals are at varying stages of infection when shedding the virus, the variant levels detected in sewage are not necessarily directly comparable to the proportion of variant cases found in individual swab samples confirmed through provincial genetic sequencing efforts.
