The Oregon Health Authority says wastewater monitoring shows how widespread the coronavirus is in the state.
Wastewater analysis is being used around the world to detect the presence of the novel coronavirus in human waste. In can show public health officials how widespread the virus is in a given community.
The Oregon Health Authority is partnering with Oregon State University in testing sewage from more than two dozen municipal waste systems in the state. The virus was found in most of the participating cities, although the agency says a negative test doesn’t prove the virus isn’t present.
The OHA says the analysis serves as an early warning system that can show how quickly COVID-19 is spreading.
