Miami- Dade finds omicron variant in wastewater tests
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The detection of omicron Tuesday in Miami- Dade Miami- Dade County has w a s t e w a t e r f u r t h e r found omicron in wastewaconfirms that the variant ter, further evidence that has arrived in the county. the variant is present in the On Friday, a Miami- Dade county and circulating. lab said it had sequenced the
Tests of wastewater omicron variant in a sample samples in county plants it had analyzed. Aron Banks show the concentration of of CardioPath confirmed virus includes the omicron omicron in a sample the lab variant, said Joshi Raghavhad processed from a hospiender, assistant director talized adult. “The patient of wastewater operations was not vaccinated and was for Miami- Dade Water & admitted for observation to Sewer Department. the hospital for conditions
A l o n g wi t h t e s t i n g unrelated to SARS- CoV- 2 samples from swabs, scienand was asymptomatic,” tists are studying wastewaBanks said. ter because people infected Broward County Water with COVID- 19 shed the and Wastewater Services virus in their stool, even if does not test for the presthey aren’t feeling sick and ence of COVID- 19 in its showing symptoms. By wastewater, a c c ordi ng collecting wastewater and to Alan Garcia, Director sending it to a lab for analof Broward’s Water and ysis, health officials can get Wastewater Services. a snapshot of COVID- 19’ s In Palm Beach County, prevalence in a community. t he Loxahatchee River
Roghavender said the Environmental Control University of Miami, which District, which provides has teamed up with Miamisewage services for about Dade, confirmed Tuesday 1 00,0 00 c ust o mers i n that it detected omicron in n o r t h e r n Pa l m Bea c h a sample from the county’s County, collects wastewater Central District Plant. He samples from its treatment suspects Miami- Dade’s two facility and sends them additional plants will find it to Massachusetts- based as well. Biobot Analytics to deter
“It i s l i kely t hat t he mine the presence of the samples from the other two coronavirus. plants, North District and Biobot’s business develSouth District, also have opment manager Jennings omicron but we cannot say Heussner said his company for sure what the concenis sequencing the virus tration of omicron is in the in wastewater from Palm samples as it has not been Beach County and 14 other quantified.” locations in Florida, includ
Although much remains ing counties and universities. to be learned about the new variant, what is known Heussner said while about omicron thus far is it Biobot has seen an uptick in
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COVID in Florida wastewater, it has not yet confirmed omicron is present but believes it to be. “We’re working on this and hope to be reporting results in the next few days.”
On Monday, Orange County announced it has found the omicron variant in wastewater through tests at two of its three wastewater plants. Altamonte Springs also found the omicron variant in a Thursday sample of sewage from its sewer service area, which encompasses Altamonte Springs, Maitland, unincorporated Seminole County, Winter Park, Eatonville, and parts of Longwood, The Orlando Sentinel reported.
Scientists are t r yi ng to learn how dangerous omicron is when compared with previous variants, both in the severity of illness and ability to evade vaccine protection. Vaccines are expected to offer some protection but an additional booster shot offers maximum immunity.
“I’m telling everyone to get a booster,” said Dr. Daniel Perez, an infectious disease specialist in Plantation. “I think we are more ready than before, with 60% of Florida vaccinated. “I think we will see small waves and omicron will be one. I don’t think it will be like a year ago. We have enough vaccine that I think we will be OK.”