The public has a new tool for monitoring COVID-19 trends and the prevalence of COVID-19 variants in Hawai‘i. It is the COVID-19 Wastewater Surveillance Report.
The report summarizes SARS-CoV-2 concentrations in wastewater samples collected on O‘ahu, Hawai‘i Island, Maui, and Kaua‘i. It also provides updates on the abundance of various SARS-CoV-2 variants in Hawai‘i. (SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes COVID-19.)
The Hawai‘i Department of Health State Laboratories Division (SLD) published the first edition of the COVID-19 Wastewater Surveillance Report on September 27 and the second edition on October 11.
“Data in these reports align with other data sets,” said State Laboratories Division Administrator Edward Desmond, Ph.D, D (ABMM).
“Results from COVID-19 tests taken by individuals show case counts have dropped since June. This is consistent with data in the wastewater report which shows concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 have declined since June. Genome sequencing shows BA.5 is the most common subvariant in Hawai‘i. The wastewater report supports that finding too,” Desmond said.
The report contains data from the analysis of wastewater samples collected at 15 wastewater treatment plants across the state. SLD coordinates collection of the samples. They are sent to Biobot Analytics of Cambridge, Massachusetts for analysis as part of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Wastewater Surveillance System. SLD then summarizes Biobot’s findings in the COVID-19 Wastewater Surveillance Report.
“The State Laboratories Division continues to develop its own COVID-19 wastewater surveillance capabilities. Our staff is performing longitudinal validation of our own protocols by comparing results of our wastewater analysis with results of Biobot’s analysis. The fast, cost-free analysis provided by Biobot gives us desired information and affords our staff time to work toward wastewater testing for other pathogens,” Desmond said.
Wastewater surveillance can serve as an early warning system because an increase of COVID-19 in a community can likely be detected in wastewater before it is detected elsewhere.
The wastewater report is the latest tool to monitor COVID-19 trends and variants. Trends can also be observed by tracking case counts, COVID-19 hospitalizations, and COVID-19 related deaths as displayed in the state’s COVID-19 data dashboard.
The prevalence of COVID-19 variants in Hawai‘i is updated every two weeks in SLD’s Variant Report.
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