USask professor John Giesy says COVID-19 in the wastewater in Saskatoon, Prince Albert and North Battleford has increased week-over-week for the last month, so researchers are defining this as a trend and he says we are likely in the middle of the seventh wave of the virus.

The wastewater data from the Global Institute for Water Security indicates a viral load increase in Saskatoon of 43 per cent, for the week ending on the 14th, and all of it is Omicron, with the BA.5 variant having the largest amount at just over 45 per cent. The viral load in Prince Albert has risen almost 61 per cent and in North Battleford by over 93 per cent. The viral load is all Omicron, and as is the case in Saskatoon, BA.5 is the largest percentage.

Giesy says these trends suggest that hospitalizations will be increasing and possibly, those in ICU due to COVID-related disease will also increase.