COVID-19 levels in Sudbury wastewater are rising, researchers say
According to researchers in Sudbury, the level of COVID-19 present in the city's wastewater is higher now than it was during the same time in 2021.
They fear the levels will only increase in the coming weeks as we head into the winter months.
Researcher Gustavo Ybazeta has been testing the city's wastewater for more than two years. He said the current levels are at 16 copies/ml compared to this time last year, when they were approximately 0.3 copies/ml.
“That means we have some level of transmission in our population in the catchment area," Ybazeta said.
"What will happen in the next days or weeks is to be seen.”
The research is being done at the Health Sciences North Research Institute. Laboratory staff have been monitoring COVID-19 levels in the city’s wastewater, doing three tests a week at the Kelly Lake treatment plant.
Testing is an important tool public health units use to provide a risk index to the community. It's used in combination with case counts, hospitalizations and outbreaks.
“It’s essentially a snapshot of what’s happening within the community," said Katie Junkin of Public Health Sudbury & Districts.
"We do look at it in a seven-day interval, so it's updated each Monday and at this point in time we are at a high-risk level."
Ybazeta said samples taken at the Kelly Lake treatment plant includes about 40 per cent of the city’s population. He said he would like to see funding provided to do testing at half a dozen of the city’s 15 plants in order to give a better overall picture.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.