Furthermore, the findings of a report released this week reveal a new record for virus concentration levels.

Through the VATar-COVID-19 project, the Spanish Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge (MITECO) has observed the displacement of the Delta variant by Omicron in the vast majority of wastewater treatment plants (WWTP).

Since the introduction of the Omicron variant, Delta’s dominance in the studied wastewater has gradually decreased, until this week, a significant decline was observed in the majority of the project’s WWTPs.

The linked laboratories have incorporated the analysis for the detection of new forms of the virus in wastewater, including Omicron, into the second phase of the VATar-COVID-19 project, which began last December.

All of this is possible because of a PCR assay that can detect the existence of unique mutations in each of the SARS-CoV-2 variants.

New record in concentration levels

Furthermore, the findings of a report published this week on the MITECO website, based on sampling conducted between January 2 and 8, reveal a new high in virus concentration levels.

The data for this period has surpassed the previous maximum recorded in samples collected between December 19 and 25, 2021, in the historical series that began in June 2020.

This consistent upward trend over the last few weeks could indicate that the maximum detection levels in wastewater have yet to be reached, while signs of stabilization are beginning to emerge in some areas.

Image Credit: William Navarro

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