HomeMy WebLinkAbout09.b.Monthly Lab Update: Covid-19/Wastewater Epidemiology UpdatePage 1 of 6
Item 9.b.
LICENTRAL SAN
October 19, 2023
FROM: BLAKE BROWN, PROVISIONAL LABORATORY PROGRAM
ADMINISTRATOR
REVIEWED BY: LORI SCHECTEL, ENVIRONMENTAL & REGULATORY COMPLIANCE
DIVISION MANAGER
GREG NORBY, DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER
ROGER S. BAILEY, GENERAL MANAGER
SUBJECT: MONTHLYLAB UPDATE: COVID-19/WASTEWATER EPIDEMIOLOGY
UPDATE
Staff has provided the Wastewater Based Epidemiology Update as Attachment 1 and will be available to
answer questions.
Strategic Plan re -In
GOAL FOUR: Governance and Fiscal Responsibility
Strategy 1 - Promote and uphold ethical behavior, openness, and accessibility
GOAL FIVE: Safety and Security
Strategy 1 - Reduce and eliminate risks of injury or illness, Strategy 2 - Protect personnel and assets from threats and
emergencies
ATTACHMENTS:
1. 10-19-2023 Monthly Lab Update
October 19, 2023 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 90 of 127
October 19, 2023, Board Meeting
Wastewater Based Epidemiology Update
Context & Background
Page 2 of 6
Attachment 1
Prior to the start of the coronavirus pandemic, there was little infrastructure to support a
global, national, or regional epidemiological surveillance program. Since 2020, Central
San has participated in local and national efforts to advance wastewater surveillance as
a reputable source of information. There is now a mature program for the trending and
monitoring of seasonal and emerging respiratory pathogens and the ability to mobilize if
there is a threat of an outbreak pathogen. This monthly memo will provide an update on
Wastewater Based Epidemiology (WBE) on the local and national scale and Central
San's COVID-19 Exposure Prevention Plan.
Central San Surveillance Data & Summary
COVID-19
From the SARS-CoV-2 Data for Central San's service area from WastewaterSCAN (as
of 10/3/23), the graph below shows an uptick in prevalence starting at the end of August
and a slight decrease at the end of September.
WastewaterSCAN Data for SARS-CoV-2 as of 10/3/23. Timeframe is 4/2022-10/2023.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
From the RSV data from WastewaterSCAN (as of 10/3/23), the graph below shows a
peak starting at the end of August 2023 and coming back down by October. Although
the graph below appears to be declining, the WaterSCAN Newsletter from September
22, 2023, has indicated that Contra Costa County is currently in an onset mode of RSV.
In 2022, we saw RSV onset in wastewater occur as early as mid- to late September in
the Bay Area.
WastewaterSCAN Data for Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) as of 10/3/23. Timeframe is 4/2022-10/2023.
October 19, 2023 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 972)b1291 DRAFT
Page 3 of 6
October 19, 2023, Board Meeting
Wastewater Based Epidemiology Update
Central San's Wastewater Based Epidemiology Partnership Updates
Central San is currently providing samples for three programs contributing to the
wastewater surveillance system. The three partners are WastewaterSCAN, California
Department of Public Health (CDPH), and the National Wastewater Surveillance System
(NWSS). Below is an update on each of the programs.
WastewaterSCAN (Verily Life Sciences, LLC)
Central San sends three samples per week of primary sludge to WastewaterSCAN, and
the program is currently funded through July 2024. WastewaterSCAN added five new
pathogens in September. The new pathogens are Enterovirus D 68, Human Adenovirus
Group F, Rotavirus, Candia auris, and Hepatitis A. Verily Life Sciences, LLC was
awarded the National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS) contract for the fourth
phase of sampling and will begin sending sample kits in the coming weeks. Central San
will be participating in two programs in parallel with Verily. As part of the NWSS
program, Verily will analyze for pathogens in the wastewater matrix to align with the
prior program data, for the WastewaterSCAN program, Verily will continue to analyze for
pathogens in the primary sludge matrix.
Data can be found here:
https://data.wastewaterscan.orq/?plantld=57573845-4bdb-4cfe-8fc2-
986d5af188cc&charts=Ci8QACABSABaBk4gR2VuZXIKMOAVMVOwNVOxMH I KMfAVMVO
wOCOVMYoBBmlzMWQ2Zg%3D%3D&selectedChartld=b31 d6f
California Department of Public Health's (CDPH) Drinking Water and Radiation
Lab (DWRL)
Central San sends three samples per week of raw influent to the California Department
of Public Health's Drinking Water and Radiation Lab (DWRL), and the program is
funded through July of 2025. In late August, CDPH reached out to Central San and
Delta Diablo regarding positive wastewater detections of MPDX within the service area
samples. CDPH approached WastewaterSCAN about collaborating on a validation
study of the MPDX detections. As part of the validation, CDPH and WastewaterSCAN
have requested Central San to send split raw influent samples to both labs. The split
influent samples would be in addition to the three primary sludge samples per week
sent to WastewaterSCAN. The Central San lab is sending split samples for a duration
of six weeks for the method validation and confirmation of detections from September
10 through October 21. Around the mid -point of the project CDPH plans to share
preliminary results with Central San and will share the final results of the evaluation
when the study is completed.
COVID-19 Data from CDPH be found here:
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-1 9/CalSuWers-
Dashboard.aSDX
October 19, 2023 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 923)b1291 DRAFT
Page 4 of 6
October 19, 2023, Board Meeting
Wastewater Based Epidemiology Update
National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS)
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) launched the National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS) in
September 2020. CDC developed NWSS to coordinate and build the nation's capacity
to track the presence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in wastewater
samples collected across the country.
So far, there have been three phases of the NWSS program. Phase 1 took place in
January and February of 2021, assessed up to 100 treatment plants representing --10%
of the US population and was contracted through AquaVitas, LLC to perform the sample
analysis and data reduction. Phase 2 took place in June to August of 2021, assessed
340 treatment plants representing --30% of the US population and was contracted
through BiobotAnalytics, Inc. Phase 3 was originally planned to take place from
December 2021 to December 2022, but was extended to September 14, 2023. Phase 3
assessed —500 treatment plants and was performed through Biobot Analytics, Inc.
On September 26, 2023, the phase 4 contract was awarded to Verily Life Sciences,
LLC. The contract will provide testing for at least the next 12 months with options to
extend. Due to prior enrollment in the NWSS program, Central San will be
automatically transitioned into the next contract. Communications and sampling kits are
expected in mid-October. Different from the other WastewaterSCAN program that
Central San is currently participating, the sampling for the NWSS program will be raw
influent.
Data can be found here: https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#wastewater-
ci irvaillanra
National Update
Nationally, the SARS-CoV-2 concentrations at most plants are plateauing or decreasing
after a two-month increase. Below are the concentrations from all participating
WWSCAN sites across the country; raw data are shown as blue dots, and the
population weighted average is shown as a bold black line.
October 19, 2023 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 93zbb1291 DRAFT
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October 19, 2023, Board Meeting
Wastewater Based Epidemiology Update
Nationwide WWSCAN Sites: SARS-CoV-2
1.400
200
Apr Ju: Oct 2023 Apr J;.I
Collection Date
Sample collected O Hon -detect
All Selected Locations (Average}
I Multiple locations
Graphic from WastewaterSCAN Newsletter, September 22, 2023
Central San COVID-19 Exposure Prevention Plan
Central San's COVID-19 Exposure Prevention Plan, last revised in early 2022, is still in
effect, and all District employees are still subject to the provisions set forth in the table
below.
Central San still conducts contact tracing based on whether other employees had close
contact (6 feet or less) or shared air space (400,000 cubic feet) with the positive
employee. At this time, those employees who have had close contact are required to
quarantine and test, and those who have shared the same air space can continue to
work onsite as long as they test and wear a mask. In some cases, employees who may
have had close contact with the positive employee but whose absence may result in an
adverse operational impact may continue to work onsite as long as they receive
approval from Human Resources, continue to remain asymptomatic, test, and wear a
mask.
October 19, 2023 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 945)b1291 DRAFT
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October 19, 2023, Board Meeting
Wastewater Based Epidemiology Update
Actions Required in Actual or Suspected Exposure Scenarios:
Scenario
Immediate Action
Employee has COVID-19 symptoms
• Stay home and immediately begin self -isolation.
(e.g., fever, dry cough, sore throat,
• Take PCR or Antigen COVID-19 test.
diarrhea, runny nose, headache, loss of
o If positive, see scenario for COVID-19 positive employee.
o If negative, you may return to work when symptoms
taste or smell, difficulty breathing)
improve.
Employee is exposed to COVID-19
• Stay home and immediately begin self -isolation for a period of
positive individual
5 days.
Close Contacts are someone who was
' Take PCR or Antigen COVID-19 test on or after day 5.
o If positive, see scenario for COVID-19 positive employee.
less than 6 feet away from an infected
o If negative and have no symptoms, you may return to work
person (laboratory -confirmed or a
on Day 6.
clinical diagnosis) for a cumulative total
. If you do not get tested, you will be required to self -isolate for
of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour
10 days and can return to work on Day 11 with no required
period. For example, three individual
testing.
5 -minute exposures for a total of 15
. If you are fully vaccinated and are without symptoms, you are
minutes.
not required to stay home from work if:
1. A negative diagnostic test is obtained within 3-5 days after
the last exposure to a known case.
2. Wears a well -fitting mask around others for a total of 10
days.
3. Continue to have no symptoms.
Employee is COVID-19 Positive
• Stay home and immediately begin self -isolation for a period of
5 days.
Individuals with or without symptoms
. Take PCR or Antigen COVID-19 test on or after day 5.
and have had a COVID Antigen
o If positive, continue to self -isolate for a total of 10 days, and
t
Molecular (PCR tests, viral RNA tests,
you can return to work on Day 11 if asymptomatic.
nucleic acid tests) test.
o If negative and have no symptoms, you may return to work
on Day 6 but must wear a well -fitting mask until after 10
days from symptom onset or the original positive test if you
are asymptomatic.
Employee is exposed to household
• Stay home and immediately begin self -isolation for a period of
member who is experiencing COVID-19
5 days.
symptoms
. If you are unable to self -isolate from household members, you
must quarantine for a period of 5 days after your household
member has either tested negative (proof is required) or for a
total of 10 days after the household member's symptom onset.
• Take PCR or Antigen COVID-19 test on or after day 5.
o If positive, see scenario for COVID-19 positive employee.
o If negative and have no symptoms, you may return to work
on Day 6 if able to self -isolate or Day 16 if unable.
October 19, 2023 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 956AA 291 DRAFT