The Global Institute for Water Security on the USask campus is reporting an increase of almost 743 per cent of COVID-19 viral RNA load in Saskatoon’s wastewater for the week leading up to April 6th. That’s compared to the week prior. Eighty-nine per cent is the Omicron variant called BA-2, and the rest is Omicron.

North Battleford’s wastewater also has a significant increase of 210 per cent for the week leading up to April 3rd. The proportions of RNA load are over 80 per cent BA-2, 18 per cent is the original Omicron and 2 per cent is other variants.

COVID in Prince Albert’s wastewater has risen by over 56 per cent, also for the week leading up to April 3rd. The largest amount is the Omicron variant BA-2 with almost 62 per cent, followed by Omicron with almost 31 per cents and seven per cent is other COVID variants. The Global Institute notes that in Prince Albert, the treatment plant operators reported the average daily flows were about 15 per cent higher because of the impacts of meltwater, which may alter any interpretation of the numbers.

The Global Institute states that any virual increase or decrease in a partially vaccinated population may or may not be reflected by new case numbers in upcoming weeks.