The wastewater data continues to show steep rises.
The wastewater picture is concerning.
This is the most number of "increasing utilities" since the first week of January.
MOST of the front range utilities except those in Colorado Springs are reporting increases.
The data from the wastewater median is BAD: the median has increased 24-fold since last week.
Yes, the 5-day median today (48,000 Covid Copies per liter) is 24 times HIGHER than it was last week (2,000).
See the chart below (this is the version I've been sharing recently)
The version above caps the y-axis to show the low numbers of recent months more clearly.
below is the full version, across the same time scale)
Our current level is similar to January/ Early February, but well below the December peak, which are about 4 times higher.
I also want to make clear that while I'm super annoyed that the median shot up over the last week, the levels remain low compared to most of the pandemic.
That said, if you've relaxed your protections recently due to low levels, it may be time to tighten up again given the rise
The variant data was released this week, updating for the full month of May. It's variant Soup again, after several months where JN.1 was dominant.
KP.3, one of the newest variants, was the most common variant sequenced (21%), closely followed by JN.1 (16%) and KP.2 (14%)
The Walgreens positivity Index drops slightly this week, though more tests were performed.
On to the H5N1 situation:
4 dairy herds with positive cattle have been affected (2 in Northeast Colorado, 2 unknown)
A domestic cat in Morgan County (NE Co) tested positive around the same time as the 2 additional herds were reported.
To sum it all up:
We have a new variant, and we are seeing a new rise in cases & hospitalizations.
Wastewater levels resemble those we saw in January 2024.
Please take care!
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We know it has been found in our milk & dairy cattle, & wastewater.
@USDA & @CDC have been mum about its presence in beef.
What do the data show us?
There's an overlap of elevated Flu A in wastewater with slaughterhouse locations.🧵
Disclaimers 1) Correlation isnt causation 2) I havent tested the meat or wastewater 3) CDC Flu A in Wastewater levels don't indicate variant. The virus may be any Flu A variant 4) I dont know how/where each slaughterhouse's waste is treated 5) This is a call for more testing
/2
First, some background:
HPAI H5N1 has been found in dairy cattle in 9 states and 51 dairy herds.
Impacted states include:
Texas, New Mexico, Michigan, Kansas, Colorado, South Dakota, Idaho, Ohio, and North Carolina. /3 cdc.gov/flu/avianflu/m…
Est 7day Avg Cases: 367 (down 20% from 463 last wk)
Est Community Transmission Level: MODERATE!!!!
Estimated 7-Day Incidence: 44 per 100k
Lowest level EVER! (approx equivalent to June 2020!)
The estimate dips into the level equivalent to "Moderate Community Transmission", a level for which the CDC suggested it was safe for vaccinated people to be unmasked indoors.
The statewide median remains flatlined at 2,000 copies per L, which indicates that the amount of COVID in more than half of reporting utilities is below the minimum level of detection for the equipment (4k) in use at the state lab. This is EXCELLENT!
N95s are an occupational tool that prevents a TON of challenges for everyday, persistent, including hair type (especially with the “rubber band straps).
They are an AMAZING tool, but here are some very real things that could be fixed to make them better for persistent use: 🧵
More Sizes!
I love the aura. Its an amazing n95. I pass a fit test in the 1870 & 9210.
But I’m not comfortable in it all day, its a snoodge too small. (Insert big head joke here) there should be a large, a small, and even an xsmall if we want people to use these all the time /2
COLORFUL MASKS.
@3M the aura in black or the dark blue like this one from brazil? Please?🙏
But skin tone n95s (NOT just KN95s produced to a different standard overseas) or stylish ones would be huge. /3
When it was announced that @CDCgov was likely changing the Covid guidance, I wrote to the @WhiteHouse because #CovidIsntOver and i wanted them to hear my voice.
I just received this obnoxious and antifactual response. Let me break down some of the issues: 🧵
The weight of the pandemic has been difficult to bear for those who campaigned for you based on your promise to stop the pandemic, not just sweep it under the rug. For healthcare & public health workers, abandoned by your failure to follow public health practices, …/3
For sufferers of long COVID, who have no treatments available, and most of whom were infected under your presidency.
For parents who fear for the health, well being, and future life of their children.
Youre the president. You can do more than PRAY. YOU CAN LEAD. /3