DHS Launches COVID-19 Wastewater Surveillance Dashboard
Monitoring wastewater can help officials gauge COVID-19 activity in communities as early as a week before clinical testing
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) today launched an online dashboard that displays findings from the wastewater surveillance program of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in Wisconsin. SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes COVID-19 and is found in the feces of infected people. Sewage testing has been used for early detection of other infectious diseases(link is external), and this surveillance system will make it possible to better understand COVID-19 transmission in Wisconsin.
“Surveillance of wastewater is part of our broader statewide efforts to better understand and monitor this virus,” said Secretary-designee Andrea Palm. “This publicly available dashboard will also empower both Wisconsinites and leaders to make more informed decisions about COVID-19 in their communities.”
Over time, wastewater data can show whether levels of SARS-CoV-2 are rising within a sewershed. This change can be observed as early as a week before we see any rise in cases from clinical testing. Wastewater information can be used together with our community COVID-19 case dashboard and other COVID-19-related data to further inform decisions as we continue responding to the pandemic. This data will provide public health officials with an opportunity to identify changes in COVID-19 transmission, circulation within a community, and potentially, early warning detection of outbreaks.
“This wastewater surveillance data can provide a larger window for public health officials to execute targeted public health interventions,” said Dr. Jonathan Meiman, Chief Medical Officer for the DHS Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Health. “Along with testing, robust contact tracing, and monitoring disease activity, this new dashboard will be an important tool in preventing the spread of COVID-19 in communities throughout the state.”
Wastewater monitoring began in June and will run through June of 2021. DHS will continue adding sewersheds to the dashboard as more complete data become available.
The Wisconsin Coronavirus Wastewater Monitoring Network is a collaboration between DHS, the Wisconsin State Lab of Hygiene, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Find the latest information about COVID-19 on the DHS website and follow @DHSWI on Facebook(link is external) and Twitter(link is external), and @dhs.wi on Instagram(link is external).
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
More about the Coronavirus Pandemic
- MHD Release: Milwaukee Health Department Launches COVID-19 Wastewater Testing Dashboard - City of Milwaukee Health Department - Jan 23rd, 2024
- Milwaukee County Announces New Policies Related to COVID-19 Pandemic - County Executive David Crowley - May 9th, 2023
- DHS Details End of Emergency COVID-19 Response - Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Apr 26th, 2023
- Milwaukee Health Department Announces Upcoming Changes to COVID-19 Services - City of Milwaukee Health Department - Mar 17th, 2023
- Fitzgerald Applauds Passage of COVID-19 Origin Act - U.S. Rep. Scott Fitzgerald - Mar 10th, 2023
- DHS Expands Free COVID-19 Testing Program - Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Feb 10th, 2023
- MKE County: COVID-19 Hospitalizations Rising - Graham Kilmer - Jan 16th, 2023
- Not Enough Getting Bivalent Booster Shots, State Health Officials Warn - Gaby Vinick - Dec 26th, 2022
- Nearly All Wisconsinites Age 6 Months and Older Now Eligible for Updated COVID-19 Vaccine - Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Dec 15th, 2022
- City of Milwaukee Bi-Weekly COVID-19 Update - City of Milwaukee Health Department - Dec 9th, 2022
Read more about Coronavirus Pandemic here
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