Open Data Insight of the Day

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.

On the most recent day with available data, the counts were as follows: Influenza A at 3156 RNA copies per liter, Influenza B at 0 RNA copies per liter, and RSV at 21000 RNA copies per liter. Comparing these values to previous periods, the Influenza A count shows a significant presence, while Influenza B is undetected. The RSV count is notably high. Without specific historical data provided, it's not possible to determine the exact trend over the past 30 days, year-to-date, or all-time. However, the current data suggests a strong presence of RSV in the population, with Influenza A also circulating, while Influenza B remains absent.