South Carolina Has ‘Very High’ Wastewater Viral Activity

Viral detection in U.S. wastewater is currently at "very high" levels in South Carolina and North Carolina, according to new information from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It's also high in roughly half of all U.S. states. This means that even though, thankfully, we aren't like we were back in 2020 when the coronavirus was spreading like wildfire, viral detection in wastewater shows coronavirus levels are currently "very high" throughout much of the U.S. So, it's good to be aware of these trends.

The CDC's interactive map shows the current wastewater viral activity level of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, for each state or territory. It's continually updated with the most recent information. I think it's fascinating that they can detect viral activity for any virus, really, by looking at wastewater. It's quite a project, and they keep the information updated.

As of early September, 23 states are marked with "very high" levels of coronavirus in wastewater. In addition, 22 other states have "high" levels reported. The good news is that this is down a bit from the previous week ,which had 31 states reporting "very high" levels of coronavirus in wastewater, according to the CDC.

"Wastewater monitoring can detect viruses spreading from one person to another within a community earlier than clinical testing and before people who are sick go to their doctor or hospital," the CDC stated, adding that wastewater monitoring can also detect infections without symptoms. "If you see increased wastewater viral activity levels, it might indicate that there is a higher risk of infection."

Both South Carolina and North Carolina are marked as having "very high" levels of of coronavirus in wastewater. But, don't panic, because according to the CDC, "COVID-19 no longer causes severe illness on the scale it once did, but the virus is likely to be with us a long time, and CDC continues to track how it is changing and what that might mean for our health."

As of the end of August, the CDC says KP.3.1.1 is currently estimated to be the predominant variant. This variant accounted for more than 40% of all U.S. COVID-19 cases over the pas few weeks, according to the CDC. "SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is constantly changing, with mutations in its genetic code accumulating over time," they noted. "Some variants emerge and disappear, while others will emerge and continue to spread and may replace previous variants."

By now, you've probably heard that norovirus is going around. It seems to be spreading everywhere, but according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), right now, the biggest norovirus activity right now is in the West and Northeast. I'm in the Midwest, but the stomach bug still hit me this week. Wow. It was a doozy. Thankfully, mine only lasted about 24 hours, but norovirus can last for longer. So, how do you avoid getting norovirus? Because, believe me, you don't want to get this. It's not fun or cute at all.

The newest report from the CDC shows that in the West region of the U.S., more than 12% of tests for norovirus have come back positive, and in the Northeast, it's more than 13%. In the Midwest and Southern regions, roughly 10% of tests are coming back positive. This isn't a total surprise, as noroviruses are usually more prevalent in the fall and winter. But, the warm winter that much of the U.S. has been experiencing could have something to do with it. Also, according to the CDC, norovirus is the main cause of vomiting and diarrhea from acute gastroenteritis in the U.S.

"While I think that there is a pretty good trend that overall, throughout the country, the number of norovirus outbreaks have not really increased, I don't think it’s completely representative of all the different communities in the U.S.," Christopher Cao, an assistant professor of gastroenterology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, told Scientificamerican.com. Dr. Cao added that he, personally, as seen a lot more norovirus cases in his area in New York City, "and that may not necessarily be reflected in the data that the CDC is providing because they don’t collect data from New York [State]."

Here are some important ways to avoid getting this nasty bug. These tips comes from the CDC.

Di you know that hand sanitizer isn't effective against norovirus? I learned that the hard way. My mom always tells me to slather my hands in the stuff, but it won't help for this bug. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

The CDC says that before preparing and eating your food, you should wash fruits and vegetables well; cook oysters and other shellfish thoroughly to an internal temperature of at least 145°F; and routinely clean and sanitize kitchen utensils, counters, and surfaces. Also, "noroviruses are relatively resistant to heat and can survive temperatures as high as 145°F," they warn. Also, they say to avoid preparing and handling food or caring for others when you are sick.

Good ol' bleach is where it's at. The CDC says that "after someone vomits or has diarrhea, always clean well and disinfect the entire area immediately." Bleach kills this stuff. Also, when cleaning, make sure to wear rubber or disposable gloves and wipe the entire area with paper towels and throw them in a plastic trash bag. The CDC also recommends to "leave the bleach disinfectant on the affected area for at least 5 minutes."

Any clothing with vomit or poop should be removed and washed right away. The CDC says to "wear rubber or disposable gloves" and "Wash the items with detergent and hot water at the maximum available cycle length and then machine dry them at the highest heat setting." For more tips, go here.