COVID Wastewater in Houston: Latest samples show sharp increase in virus prevalence in community

Given the rapid transmission of the omicron variant, Mayor Sylvester Turner said in a tweet Wednesday morning that samples showed a sharp increase in the amount of the virus in the city’s wastewater.

Follow Houston Health Department Dashboard, the viral load as of December 20 is 546% compared to the level more than a year ago on July 6, 2020.

Viral load is the amount of virus detected in wastewater. The number shows the value for the entire city against the benchmark date of July 6.

The city uses that date because it corresponds to a time when the city had a high rate of COVID-19 positivity.

Houston’s current positivity rate is 14% and represents the ratio of positive cases to total testing.

Turner said viral loads have increased from 142% last week and 76% from last week.

Local officials and health professionals continue to encourage you to get vaccinated, or, if you’ve already had, get a booster shot and wear a mask as ways to protect you and your family from COVID-19.

If you need to get tested for COVID, two new major sites are also reopening.

US County CDC COVID-19 transmission

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