Basel’s wastewater is regularly tested to see which viruses are circulating in the population. For this, samples are analyzed for RNA copies, which are tiny genetic traces of viruses that people release when they are infected. Measuring these traces doesn’t provide exact case numbers or indicate the severity of an illness, but it helps show whether infections are increasing or decreasing over time. This way, wastewater monitoring works like an early warning system for public health. For more details, you can explore the linked publications and dashboards.

For the most recent day with available data, the RNA copies per liter for Influenza A were 0.0, for Influenza B were 3416.0, and for RSV were 5840.0. These values provide a snapshot of the viral presence in the community. Comparing to the previous 30 days, year-to-date, and all-time data can help determine trends. If the current values are higher than those in the past, it might suggest an increase in infections, whereas lower values could indicate a decrease. This contextual comparison is essential for understanding the dynamics of viral infections in the population over time.