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Burlington wastewater COVID results skyrocket
BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - The City of Burlington has been monitoring wastewater for traces of COVID-19 and officials say those levels have skyrocketed in the last few days.
The numbers show low levels from before Halloween that then increased and dipped in mid-November before rising sharply after Thanksgiving. Mayor Miro Weinberger says that indicates a lot of residents who have COVID and may not know it yet. The virus can show up in wastewater up to seven days earlier than testing results.
“It’s when people start to get sick that they consistently go and get tested, or when they, even worse, show up at the hospital. By that time, individuals have been contagious and at risk of spreading the virus for many days. Having this indication that we have a problem here in the community now through the wastewater testing gives us a chance to act early” he said.