Twenty states around the US have “very high” trace of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater, according to an investigation by the CDC.

By Alex Shipman, Jul 29, 2024 |

An interactive map from the CDC shows ‘very high’ levels of Covid in wastewater around the US (Image: CDC)

“Very high” levels of COVID-19 have been detected in the wastewater of 20 states around the US, while a further 18 have “high” levels.

The data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is significant because it tracks how the virus has passed into sewage systems via toilets, sinks, showers, and other drains.

Only one state, New York, had “low” levels of SARS-CoV-2 in tested waste, while no data was available for North Dakota and Arizona.

The states with levels deemed “very high” are: Arkansas, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Idaho, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

Those listed as “high” are: Alabama, Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Analyzing sewage allows scientists to spot infectious disease even if few symptoms are reported.

It can help predict trends for an area and acts as an early warning about whether cases are increasing.

States with “moderate” levels of Covid in wastewater are: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota and Vermont.