In mid-August, over 50% of the nation detected high levels of COVID-19 in wastewater samples, including Oklahoma. This increase in detection also correlated with a rise in positive tests within the state.
According to the Dean of the Hudson College of Public Health at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences, if the levels in the wastewater are high, it indicates that the virus is being transmitted among the population.
According to a prominent Oklahoma physician, the detection of COVID-19 in wastewater serves as an indicator of future trends.
According to Bratzler, there was a significant increase in wastewater levels, leading to a positivity rate of 23 percent.
According to the CDC, in mid-August, Oklahoma was among 26 other states that recorded a significant presence of COVID-19 in wastewater detection samples.
According to our state health department, high levels of COVID-19 cases are being reported across the state. The severity of the situation varies from county to county, with some areas experiencing very high levels while others have moderate levels. This fluctuation in cases has led to an increase in test positivity rates, with one in every four tests returning positive results.
According to Bratzler, the positive aspect is that the increase in cases has not resulted in a significant rise in hospitalizations.
He is not sounding the alarm, though, as there have been smaller decreases in both wastewater detection and test positivity in recent days.
“It was incredibly tiny,” remarked Bratzler, downplaying its significance. “I don’t think we should give it too much importance. We’ll have to wait for another week’s worth of data to determine if the numbers are decreasing.”
According to his data, there are currently only 85 hospitalizations, which is a significant decrease compared to the peak of over 2,000 in 2022. However, he emphasizes that COVID-19 is here to stay as an endemic situation. He further suggests that annual vaccines are crucial for protecting people, particularly the elderly population, especially with the resumption of fall gatherings and school.
Bratzler emphasized the importance of good hand hygiene and staying home when sick as key measures to prevent the spread of illness.
According to Bratzler, the contagiousness of the virus variants remains high. He anticipates that the updated vaccine will receive FDA approval this week and expects the CDC to take action accordingly, enabling people to receive it.
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