On Aug. 16, 2024, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that COVID-19 infections are very high and growing in 25 states based on data from the National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS). National Covid viral activity in wastewater rose to 8.82 on August 10 compared to a peak of 9.56 in July 2022.

Wastewater (sewage) can be tested to detect traces of infectious diseases circulating in a community, even if people don’t have symptoms. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the CDC launched the NWSS in September 2020.