SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – Testing done on the wastewater at the Altamonte Springs and Casselberry sewer service areas both showed a decrease in the concentration of COVID-19 virus, continuing a downward trend of infection in those communities.
The latest testing from the Altamonte Springs facility showed a 35% decrease in the concentration of viral gene copies per liter; 181,081 gene copies per liter compared to results released on Feb. 3 which showed 457,237 gene copies per liter.
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Despite the decrease in viral concentration, the amount of COVID-19 found in the wastewater remains high. According to the results, the virus concentration is 158% higher than it was at the beginning of the delta surge — July 1, 2021 — and 215% higher than what was seen around last Thanksgiving.
The testing also showed that nearly 2% of the viral gene copies were from the BA.2 subvariant, also known as “stealth omicron.”
The results from Casselberry show a 65% decrease in the concentration of viral gene copies per liter; 73,246 gene copies per liter compared to the results from Feb. 3 which showed 1,471,667 gene copies per liter.
“Stealth omicron” was not detected in the Casselberry Sewer Service Area.