New data from Biobot, the lab analyzing sewage samples from the Erie Wastewater Treatment plant for the COVID-19 virus, shows the decline in the number of estimated cases in Erie County has likely come to a halt.
The latest report shows an increase in the sewage viral load of approximately 11 million. This comes after several weeks of declining numbers.
The latest report is for the week ending Feb. 16, 2021.
The number most likely indicates the decline has stopped rather than a rebound, according to Dr. Howard Nadworny, the infectious diseases physician who signed the Erie region up for the the pilot project. He says the level of virus transmission in Erie County is still three times higher than the rate that was seen in October before the holiday surge.
Nadworny says it is likely that the January and February time period saw fewer group activities due to colder and snowier weather, so the numbers were able to stabilize.
The latest round of data shows a case estimate of 1,500 active cases in Erie. That is down from 2,900 from the data for the week ending Feb. 9. A pandemic-high of an estimated 9,400 active cases was recorded on Dec. 1, 2020.
The next wastewater update in seven days will include data through Feb. 23.
