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We may soon see a decrease in COVID-19 cases in Saskatoon.
The study being done by University of Saskatchewan researchers on wastewater is showing a 70 per cent decrease in the virus from last week’s study.
The study is also showing that cases involving variants could be decreasing, with those numbers down 18 per cent from last week’s numbers.
The total number of COVID variants found in the wastewater makes up 70 per cent of cases.
Monday’s report says: “Assuming the spike in viral load in the previous reporting period corresponded to the increase in new cases last week (April 25-May 2), the substantial decrease in viral load is predictive of a stabilization or decrease in numbers of new cases in Saskatoon in the coming weeks.”
So far, the researchers at the Global Institute for Water Security have found the B.1.1.7 (United Kingdom) variant of concern.
The report says while the P.1 (Brazil) variant and B.1.351 lineage (South Africa) were tested, P.1 was likely present but was less than the limit of quantification.
B.1.351 was not present.
The “viral signal” detected in wastewater helps provide population-level estimates of the rate of infection in a city, indicating whether the number of infected people is increasing, decreasing or staying the same.
The researchers say most people with COVID start shedding SARS-CoV-2 through their feces within 24 hours of being infected.
The report says the “viral signal” is a leading indicator of impending surges in the number of active cases by seven to 10 days following a sample collection.