Update of COVID map shows states with ‘very high’ virus activity in wastewater

In nearly half of all U.S. states, the number of coronavirus detections in U.S. wastewater remains “very high,” even though the overall number of COVID cases has declined slightly across the country.

As of Sept. 5, 23 states reported “very high” levels of coronavirus in wastewater, with 22 reporting “high” levels, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But that's a decrease from the previous week, when 31 states reported “very high” levels.

After a surge in COVID-19 cases this summer, infection rates actually appear to be declining. In the US, positive tests now account for 16.3 percent of all COVID tests (excluding home tests), up from 17 percent the previous week.

In some states, especially in the south and central United States, coronavirus levels remain high. The map below shows which states have seen the most detections in wastewater.

The virus content of wastewater is a useful indicator of disease prevalence within a population.

The recent surge in COVID-19 cases is largely due to a new class of subvariants nicknamed FLiRT – named after the location of the mutations on the virus's spike proteins, the extensions that allow them to enter our cells.

These proteins are also used as targets for the immune system and in vaccinations, so changes in their structure may allow the virus to evade the body's defenses more easily. However, existing vaccines are likely to provide at least some protection against more severe symptoms and long COVID.

According to the CDC, as of August 31, the now dominant subvariant KP.3.1.1 was responsible for more than 40 percent of all COVID-19 cases in the United States in the previous two weeks, with FLiRT variants overall responsible for more than 80 percent of cases.

Although the number of infections in the U.S. rose steadily over the summer, hospitalizations and deaths remained relatively low. It appears that the new FLiRT variants, while more contagious, generally do not cause symptoms as severe.

According to the CDC, symptoms include the following:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• shortness of breath
• fatigue
• Muscle or limb pain
• Headache
• Loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

Even more vulnerable people may still be at risk of severe illness, so it is important that you self-isolate if you test positive for COVID.

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