Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan who are tracking the COVID-19 viral RNA load in wastewater say it has increased by 25.1 per cent in Saskatoon in the week up to August 3rd. While still considered in the low to moderate range the USask team says it is the fourth consecutive increase since July 16th which means an increase in COVID-19 infections in Saskatoon.

In North Battleford the amount of the virus in waste water dropped by 16.9 per cent in the reporting period up to July 29th. While the viral load is in the low range and the most recent numbers indicate a slight decrease in COVID-19 infections in the community, the trend over the last month has been upward.

For Prince Albert the amount of viral RNA in wastewater has increased by 58.2 per cent in the reporting period up to August 1st. Researchers say the concentration of COVID-19 is still in the relatively low range, being only 10% of the maximum of the Omicron wave, but again has shown a general increasing trend over the last 7 weeks.

In all three cities the type of COVID-19 is entirely made up of a version of the Omicron BA 2 or BA 5 virus and the latest numbers are in comparison to the previous week’s measurement.

As well, researchers say they will be monitoring for a new variant and at this time don’t have much information on how it will affect populations this fall as we again move into flu season. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are tracking a new variant of concern: BA.4.6. This week, the CDC included the BA.4 sub-variant in its weekly tracking of COVID cases. The CDC’s chief data officer posted to social media that the new spinoff of COVID-19 had actually been circulating for several weeks in the U.S