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Regina seeing moderate-high levels of COVID-19 in wastewater

New sublineages detected in September: BQ.1/BQ.1.11 and BA.2.75.2 .
Regina wastewater Oct. 3
A graph depicting wastewater levels of SARS-CoV-2 in Regina.

REGINA — The researchers at the University of Regina studying Regina’s wastewater have found it contains moderate to high levels of COVID-19.

According to their latest report released Oct. 3, the SARS-CoV-2 measurements in Regina wastewater are at 72 per cent of the highest levels of the Omicron wave in April 2022. It is considered to be moderate-high in the new scale. 

Among the strains detected in Regina during September were the highly transmissible and immune evasive Omicron sub-lineages of BQ.1/BQ.1.11 and BA.2.75.2.

According to the findings the SARS-CoV-2 levels in wastewater have mostly remained above the highest levels measured pre-Omicron. 

The wastewater samples have been surveyed since August of 2020 by a team of researchers at the University of Regina and Luther College, in collaboration with the City of Regina and EPCOR Canada, to support the Saskatchewan Health Authority.