Twin Cities Sewage Research Reveals Good News In COVID-19 Battle

TWIN CITIES, MN — The cases of COVID-19 in the Twin Cities have plunged in the Twin Cities metro area, according to sewage monitoring conducted by the Metropolitan Council.

Scientists from the Met Council's Environmental Services division are extracting viral genetic material from wastewater samples and sending them to the University of Minnesota Genomics Center for testing.

The samples allow researchers to track the rise and fall of infection rates. According to the latest data, the viral load in local wastewater is at its lowest point since October 2021, when the Met Council's COVID-19 sewage surveillance program began.

The Saint Paul treatment plant serves much of the seven-county metro area. Watch a video about how the Met Council monitors COVID-19 in wastewater here.

The sewage data is in light with Minnesota Department of Health testing data, which shows that COVID-19 infection rates across Minnesota have been dropping rapidly since the omicron variant peaked in January.

Government officials have already begun dropping various COVID-19 mandates and restrictions, including the vaccine and mask requirement that had been enforced in Minneapolis and St. Paul.

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