While many Americans are driving home for Christmas, COVID-19 levels are at highest or very high in 20 U. S. states, according to recent wastewater research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC)
Since the start of the pandemic, the CDC has been tracking levels of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in wastewater in addition to wastewater.
This data captures the infection levels of all other people using the wastewater treatment system, adding those who have no symptoms, have not been tested for COVID-19, and have not reported their illness.
Therefore, wastewater testing may give an earlier, more accurate indication of COVID-19 degrees as the infection spreads to other areas, than relying solely on positive tests.
Recent peak wastewater data, released through the CDC on December 19, estimates COVID-19 levels from Saturday, December 8 through Sunday, December 14.
Five states report “very high” levels of SARS-CoV-2, up from six the week before and just two the week before.
This time, these states were Kansas, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Mexico and South Dakota—although Missouri and South Dakota’s results were based on limited data.
This means that knowledge of those states was based on less than 5% of the population and may not be representative of the citizens of each state.
A total of 15 states and the District of Columbia reported “high” levels of the virus—three more than the week before—including Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Wyoming, as well as Arizona and Pennsylvania which were based on limited data.
Meanwhile, Alabama, Colorado, Connecticut Delaware, Idaho, Maryland, Montana, Oklahoma, Utah and Wisconsin were the 10 states with “moderate” levels of the virus.
Only 12 states had “low” titles and six had “minimal” titles, adding Mississippi, which used data.
“Wastewater can be tested for infectious diseases circulating in a community, even if other people do not have symptoms,” the CDC states. “You can use this knowledge as an early warning that infection levels could increase or decrease in your community. “
Wastewater analysis can also reveal the COVID-19 variants which are circulating more than others, again based on data from the week ending December 14.
Currently, the KP. 3 and KP. 3. 1. 1 strains are in decline, at 16 and 26% respectively, while XEC appears to be more prevalent at 29%.
An older strain called JN. 1 appears to be at 7% and MC. 1, which was at 6% last week, fell below the 5% reporting threshold. Several “other” variants, likely adding MC. 1, now represent 21% of the disease.
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Hatty Willmoth is a Newsweek food and nutrition reporter based in London, U.K. She has covered special diets, gut health and functional medicine extensively. Hatty joined Newsweek in 2024 from the Institute for Optimum Nutrition (ION) and had previously worked at Time & Leisure and South West Londoner, and written freelance articles for The Independent, Fit&Well, Sussex Bylines and Earn It. In July 2024, she won a Freelance Journalism Award in the early career category for her investigation into the Bruderhof community. She is a graduate of the University of Cambridge and News Associates. You can get in touch with Hatty by emailing [email protected] or messaging on social media (@hattywillmoth). She speaks English and a little French.