Open Data Insight of the Day

Wastewater monitoring provides an early signal of respiratory virus activity in the community. When people are infected, they shed viral genetic material in their feces and urine. Tracking this in wastewater helps detect trends even when individual testing rates change. This surveillance supports public health preparedness by offering a community-wide snapshot.

The most recent measurements show Influenza A at approximately 7,280 gene copies per liter, RSV at about 19,880 gene copies per liter, and Influenza B was not detected. Compared to the past 30 days, these levels for Influenza A and RSV are elevated. Year-to-date, these concentrations are high relative to the annual baseline. These measurements reflect virus circulation in the community and do not indicate disease severity.

The accompanying tables help interpret this data. One table summarizes the combined viral activity over the last seven days, showing current conditions. Another table lists the historical peak levels for each virus recorded in previous years. This comparison helps show whether current measurements are unusual within a longer-term context.

A brief glossary of terms: RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) is a common virus that causes respiratory infections. Influenza A and Influenza B are viruses that cause seasonal flu. RNA is a type of genetic material that these viruses are made of. PCR is a laboratory technique used to detect and measure small amounts of viral DNA or RNA in a sample.