Testing wastewater for COVID-19: The clearest path to understanding community infection

Because not everyone who has COVID-19 is tested or has symptoms, wastewater surveillance can capture the presence of the COVID-19 virus shed by people with and without symptoms, giving a more accurate picture of how much virus is in the community. The process starts here at Rochester Public Works in Rochester, Minnesota.

Mayo Clinic labs don't actually test the water for the SARS-CoV-2 virus itself, they test for a particular gene that's extracted from the sample. They do so using droplet digital PCR analysis. Mayo Clinic molecular genetic pathologist, Dr. Ann Moyer. Here is the latest graph which shows the SARS-CoV-2 RNA levels have dramatically decreased since the beginning of 2022 when it was very high due to the omicron surge. Meaning it could help predict future COVID-19 surges.
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