Milwaukee wastewater testing; COVID, flu, RSV samples collected
MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee Health Department tracks COVID-19, flu and RSV levels through public wastewater testing, and officials provided a behind-the-scenes look at the process on Thursday.
MHD's Wastewater Dashboard started during the pandemic to track COVID-19 levels in the community. The dashboard was updated in January, the city said, to track levels of Flu A, Flu B and RSV.
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The dashboard shows changes in virus levels over time, a stoplight warning system (green, yellow, red) for quick updates on concern levels, and data from the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District's South Shore and Jones Island sampling sites.
FOX6 News got a look at the process at MMSD's sampling site on Jones Island. Wastewater samples are then sent to the city's lab, where the health department tests them. The data is then integrated into the public dashboard.
MHD lab tests wastewater samples for respiratory virus levels
The health department said data shows respiratory viruses are on the rise.
"Testing wastewater, it doesn’t depend on that person having symptoms, it doesn’t depend on them getting health care," said lab director David Payne. "We’re able to see these diseases spreading sooner."
COVID-19 relief dollars fund the testing.
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