Wastewater analysis helps identify coronavirus infection levels at Yosemite

Analysis of untreated wastewater from the county health department in Yosemite Valley led Biobot Analytics, based in Cambridge, MA, to estimate that 170 people in Yosemite national park during the July 4 weekend may have been infected with the coronavirus, dropping to 60 during the following week. The neighbouring community showed lower levels, suggesting that the higher volume was related to visitors, who tend to crowd popular sites, and parks are not in a position to enforce mask-wearing. No one had tested positive for the virus through nasal swab testing at the health clinic in the park.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jul/22/yosemite-coronavirus-covid-19-sewage-tests

Writer: Paulina Velasco
Publication: Guardian
Publication date: 2020-07-22