Alabama is among a handful of states with a high level of COVID-19 virus in the sewage system, according to data the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released Friday.
Scientists test wastewater to determine the prevalence of infections, aiming to capture those who may or may not be symptomatic or visit the hospital.
While for most of the country, wastewater viral activity level for coronavirus is currently low, Alabama is one of seven states where it is high. Others are Kentucky, Florida, Louisiana, California, Texas and Alaska, with the last two very high.
“If you see increased wastewater viral activity levels, it might indicate that there is a higher risk of infection,” the CDC said.
Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Southern, and West Coast states are experiencing a rise in COVID-19 activity, according to the CDC. Nationally, there is an increase in COVID-19 lab test positivity, it stated.
The agency also reported more people across all ages are visiting emergency rooms due to COVID-19 symptoms. But Alabama’s rate is more than the nationwide average. It’s 0.8%, or one out of every 125 people, for Alabama. That is 33% more than the national average, which stands at 0.6%.
The peak fits a pattern seen since 2020. Since the first U.S. case was reported COVID has peaked twice a year, in the winter and then the summer.
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