Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
The Tribune
COVID levels rising in SLO County, wastewater monitoring shows
By Kelsey Oliver,
2 days ago
COVID-19 levels have been on the rise in San Luis Obispo County through the summer months, a trend that mirrors what’s happening in other areas of California.
SLO County data shows an increased presence of the COVID-19 virus in wastewater samples starting around last month in Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, the South County, Los Osos and Cambria. The most drastic spike was found in the city of San Luis Obispo.
Public health officer Penny Borenstein confirmed that COVID-19 levels have increased since June. Borenstein added that the tendency for COVID measurements to spike during the summer months isn’t new.
“We have for the last several years, or since COVID been around, seen increases in the amount of COVID that is present in the community in the summertime,” Borenstein said.
Borenstein also noted that the county no longer has the ability to accurately count individual cases since most people test from home now and don’t report positives to the county. She said it’s important to be “careful” when understanding the amount of COVID actually present.
COVID-19 cases have been on the rise in San Luis Obispo County through the summer months, a trend following in suit of other places across California. San Luis Obispo County data showed upward trends in COVID-19 in wastewater samples starting in around last month across all SLO County cities as seen on July 19, 2024. Courtesy of the County of San Luis Obispo
“We really rely on our wastewater surveillance, and with that, we have been seeing an uptick in the presence of the COVID virus in the wastewater treatment system, with some being higher than others,” Borenstein said.
Wastewater monitoring shows community-level trends over time and can capture the presence of the virus before clinical cases are reported. Wastewater detections also offer a non-biased way to collect COVID samples and allow the county to measure average levels over time.
Other California cities have surged in COVID-19 cases in the summer months.
On July 5, Mercury News reported that San Jose data indicated record high levels of COVID in wastewater measurements. The article also mentioned that across the East Bay, COVID levels have risen as more people contract the virus.
Borenstein said it’s unclear why cases surge in the summer months. She said that historically, COVID rates tend to be even higher in August than July.
Some health experts have attributed the spikes to indoor congregating due to hot weather , and therefore increased transmission. Travel and social gatherings during summer vacation months could also be to blame.
“Of course, I continue to strongly recommend vaccination,” Borenstein said.
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.
Comments / 0