FLORIDA, USA — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is launching a new tool to help track COVID-19 variants and potential surges.
It's a wastewater surveillance system that's being included in the agency's data tracker website. There are two surveillance sites in Florida. One in the Tampa Bay area, and the other on the east coast.
At the moment, there's no data coming in yet for Florida. But, soon neighbors will be able to see if the virus is showing up in their sewage system.
The sites in the Sunshine State are just two of about 400 nationwide. Another 250 will be added in the coming weeks, the CDC says.
Wastewater gives health experts and leaders a way to track the spread of COVID because the virus can be detected without anyone having to actually get tested. So, it could potentially be an early warning system.
The reason the virus can be found in wastewater is that once a person is infected with COVID-19, it multiplies within them. And, just like some other viruses, scientists say people shed it in their stool or urine.
The wastewater method has the potential to also track norovirus, the flu and even opioid use.