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djnoneya.bsky.social
01-07-26 WastewaterSCAN Dashboard

Influenza A high

data.wastewaterscan.org
January 7, 2026 at 10:35 PM
thesicktimes.org
Stay on top of COVID-19 trends and #LongCOVID research. Sign up for our newsletter to get our reporting delivered directly to your inbox every Tuesday! thesicktimes.org/newsletter/
Wastewater data from the CDC, WastewaterSCAN, and Biobot Analytics all report significant increases in SARS-CoV-2 levels in wastewater throughout December. Healthcare system data also report increases in COVID-19 spread across much of the U.S. Test positivity and emergency department visits have not yet gone up as dramatically as wastewater levels, but this will likely change in the coming weeks. chart showing healthcare visits for influenza-like illness, from a network of clinics that report to the agency, during winter flu seasons from 2020 to 2026. Influenza-like illness includes cases with a fever plus a cough or sore throat. The X axis represents week of the year, starting in October (week 40) and going through to the next September (week 39), and the Y axis represents % of patient visits for flu-like illness. Different flu seasons are represented with different colored lines, with the current 2025-26 season in bright red. Visits for flu-like illness have gone up dramatically in December 2025, reaching a higher point for the week ending December 27 than any other recorded in the prior five flu seasons. Flu is doing more damage to the healthcare system. National flu test positivity and emergency department visits were several times higher for flu than for COVID-19 for the week ending December 27. Among clinics reporting to a CDC surveillance network, 8.2% of patient visits that week were for “influenza-like illness,” (fever plus cough or sore throat) — a record high compared to the prior five winters. You might ask: are some of these flu cases really COVID-19 cases? Testing and emergency department data from the CDC are hard to dispute, since healthcare facilities often test for both viruses at the same time when someone presents with respiratory symptoms. But many people do not test to see which virus is making them sick, thanks to the broad dismantling of a public testing infrastructure that we had earlier in the pandemic. SARS-CoV-2 carries a higher risk of long-term symptoms than other pathogens, but flu has also caused myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) in the past; both viruses are good reasons to stay on guard. And similar precautions, like high-quality masks, work for both. Black text on a white graph paper background shows The Sick Times COVID-19 trends legend. WastewaterSCAN category for SARS-CoV-2: Lighter yellow = “Low” Darker yellow = “Medium” Orange = “High"; medium concentration and upward trend or high concentration and downward trend Red = “High"; high concentration and no trend or upward trend CDC wastewater viral activity level for SARS-CoV-2: Lighter yellow = “Very low” Darker yellow = “Low” Orange = “Moderate” Red = “High” or “Very high” CDC COVID-19 test positivity: Lighter yellow = Under 3% Darker yellow = 3% to 6% Orange = 6% to 10% Red = 10% or higher Week over week percent change Arrow directly down = -20% or less change Arrow diagonal down = -20% to -5% change Arrow in horizontal line = -5% to 5% change Arrow diagonal up = 5% to 20% change Arrow directly up = 20% or more change covid-19-trends-legend.png
January 6, 2026 at 6:39 PM
thesicktimes.org
COVID-19 levels are increasing across most of the U.S. as of late December. But flu is overshadowing COVID-19 in healthcare system impacts and headlines.

For both viruses, similar precautions (like high-quality masks and improving air quality) work to reduce your risk of infection. bit.ly/3LhxKd2
Graphic from The Sick Times sharing the latest COVID-19 trends for January 6, 2026. The graphic presents trends for three metrics: WastewaterSCAN category for SARS-CoV-2, which is "high" (represented with a red color) and reports a significant increase (represented with an up arrow); CDC wastewater viral activity level for SARS-Cov-2, which is "moderate*" (orange) and reports a slight increase (diagonal up arrow), and CDC COVID-19 test positivity, which is moderate (darker yellow) and stable (side to side arrow). Text below these metrics reads: "* CDC wastewater viral activity levels are calculated based on measurements in the last two years only. They do not account for the lower spread that could be possible with more widespread precautions."
January 6, 2026 at 6:39 PM
patbiosteamist.bsky.social
WastewaterSCAN data 6 Jan 2025 on the 147 sites currently collecting data - showing increasing levels.

Zoomed in data on present time. Showing majority of facilities are continuing to generate increasing levels of Covid in the wastewater.
WastewaterSCAN data 6 Jan 2025 - showing increasing levels. Full data scale. WastewaterSCAN data 6 Jan 2025 - showing increasing levels. Zoomed in data on present time. Showing majority increasing levels within facilities.
January 6, 2026 at 5:19 PM
djnoneya.bsky.social
01-05-26 WastewaterSCAN Dashboard
data.wastewaterscan.org

Measles low

SARS-CoV-2 high

RSV high
January 5, 2026 at 11:10 PM
augieray.bsky.social
Weekly update: COVID and Flu Accelerating as 2026 Begins: Update for January 2, 2026

- No new wastewater data from the CDC due to the holiday
- WastewaterSCAN has COVID, flu, and RSV concentrations at high and rising
- Walgreens' virus map is solid red in most of the US

medium.com/@augieray_66...
COVID and Flu Accelerating as 2026 Begins: Update for January 2, 2026
The New Year’s holiday is interrupting the flow of wastewater data from the CDC, so there was no update today. However, we know that, as…
medium.com
January 2, 2026 at 11:02 PM
djnoneya.bsky.social
WastewaterSCAN Dashboard
data.wastewaterscan.org

SARS-CoV-2
high

RSV
high

Influenza A
high

Norovirus
high
January 2, 2026 at 11:02 PM
morrowjamesadam.bsky.social
Candida auris

a type of invasive yeast (fungus) that can cause deadly infections in people with weakened immune systems, has infected at least 7,000 people across 27 U.S. states, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

12/31/25
www.independent.co.uk/news/health/...
WastewaterSCAN Dashboard https://data.wastewaterscan.org/ Oceanside, San Francisco, CA Wastewater surveillance: Candida auris Low 1 out of 10 samples in the 10 days prior to the last sample date were positive
January 2, 2026 at 12:40 PM
morrowjamesadam.bsky.social
precautionary
😷 principle

WastewaterSCAN Dashboard
data.wastewaterscan.org
Current conditions: RSV: High 📈 Influenza A: High 📈 What are you testing for? WastewaterSCAN tests samples of solids from municipal wastewater for targets associated with infectious diseases. The concentration of these targets in wastewater is associated with the occurrence of the related disease in the community, and changes in the concentrations of these markers in wastewater over time tell us about changes in the rates of disease in the community. WastewaterSCAN only tests for analytes that are related to infectious diseases.
January 2, 2026 at 11:36 AM
heyfriend-1.bsky.social
#Flucases are rising with a strain that makes older people sicker - The Washington Post

Democracy Dies in Darkness
© 1996-2026 The Washington Post”

apple.news/Avd78IuorQbS...
“Flu cases are rising with a strain that makes older people sicker Flu season is ramping up in the U.S., marked by a new strain that could make vaccines less effective. Covid cases remain down. Cases of influenza in the United States are rising, driven by a new strain that public health officials worry current vaccines may not protect against as effectively. Health officials and researchers say that although the flu season has not reached its peak, the spike in cases is not historically unusual — and they stress vaccines probably still offer protection against the worst effects of the strain. The number of hospitalizations, emergency room and outpatient visits, and deaths associated with the flu have shot up, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, although the U.S. isn’t likely to reach peak until early in the year, possibly February. “It seems to be a bit of a swift increase, but it’s not atypical,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist and director of the Pandemic Center at the Brown University School of Public Health. “We often see flu seasons come in sort of fast and furious.” Winter creates ideal conditions for airborne viruses such as flu, covid and RSV to circulate as people gather indoors for long stretches and travel for the holidays. The Northeast is already feeling the surge. On the day after Christmas, New York health officials said the state experienced the highest number of flu cases in a single week since they began tracking the data in 2004. Since the coronavirus pandemic began in the United States in 2020, winter virus seasons have been marked by waves of covid infections. But covid in more recent years has become less prevalent during the winter months, researchers say, even if comparing seasons isn’t perfect because fewer patients, doctors and hospitals test for the coronavirus than in years past. The coronavirus does not follow a seasonal pattern, but public health officials urge vaccinations and testing in advance of colder months. Levels of coronavirus tracked in wastewater are lower than during the peak summer wave, said Marlene Wolfe, co-principal investigator for WastewaterSCAN, a private initiative that tracks municipal wastewater data. “There’s plenty of people who are shedding covid into sewer systems when they’re sick, but we aren’t seeing really high levels,” said Wolfe, also an assistant professor of environmental health at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health. For the flu, however, the trajectory of cases is expected to keep rising after a sharp uptick in recent weeks. It remains unclear whether this winter flu season will rival last year’s, which was considered particularly severe, Nuzzo said. During last year’s flu season, the CDC reported 288 pediatric-influenza-associated deaths, the highest number since the 2009-2010 H1N1 swine flu pandemic. She said severe flu seasons tend to oscillate, “and that’s probably due to the residual immunity from a previous year.” Get the Post Most Newsletter The most popular and interesting stories of the day to keep you in the know. In your inbox, every day. The CDC estimates there have been at least 4.6 million flu-related illnesses, at least 49,000 hospitalizations and 1,900 deaths this season, which started in late September and may run through March or April. The wrinkle is a new strain of flu. That’s not unusual. The virus constantly mutates through a process known as antigenic drift — the reason vaccine makers reformulate shots each year. The new strain is a version of what is known as H3N2, a type of influenza A, and it’s quickly become the most common one in the U.S., according to the CDC. The strain has been tied to early and severe flu outbreaks in countries such as Japan, Canada and Britain. Alicia Budd, a CDC epidemiologist who tracks the spread of flu in the U.S., said that while the strain is now common here, flu levels in the U.S. remain within the expected range. “We’re not seeing that increase, that early season that some other countries have seen,” Budd said. The H3N2 strain is typically associated with more flu hospitalizations and deaths in older people. The latest strain popped up during the summer, after U.S. drugmakers finalized their flu shots for the season. Experts worry that means the vaccines could be less effective, leading to more hospitalizations and taxing health systems that must deal with other winter viruses. In Britain, preliminary data has shown vaccines in that country provide strong protection against the new variant, although shots differ from those in the U.S., experts said. According to CDC estimates, about 40 percent of U.S. adults have received their flu vaccine, with the number slightly lower for children. Nuzzo, of Brown University, stressed that getting vaccinated remains important, even with the variation. “The flu vaccine may not prevent you from getting flu, but it certainly will keep you out of the hospital and may just reduce the severity of your symptoms or how long you’re sick for,” Nuzzo said. In Jacksonville, Florida, pediatrician Pamela Lindor of Bluebird Kids Health has already seen an uptick in children who reported sudden onset of fever, headaches, fatigue and cough while at school. If they are diagnosed within a day or two, she prescribes them antiviral medication. Federal health officials under President Donald Trump are casting doubt on childhood vaccine recommendations, suggesting kids receive far too many shots compared with other countries. In early December, Trump ordered a review of the vaccine schedule, questioning the practice of giving children annual flu shots. For years, Lindor said, parents she has encountered have resisted yearly flu shots for their children, even if they agree with other vaccines required by schools. “It’s frustrating, in a way, because even though we do see quite a bit of flu this time of year, it could be a lot less if people were more compliant …
January 2, 2026 at 5:46 AM
jennannemiller.bsky.social
RSV, Covid19, and FluA all HIGH nationwide #WastewaterScan #MaskUp_N95orBetter #ProtectYourselfBecauseNoOneElseWill #VaxAndMask #SoManyReasonsToMask
CHECK YOUR REGION: data.wastewaterscan.org
December 31, 2025 at 9:50 PM
bettycjung.bsky.social
Norovirus infections, which spiked in late November, are still high and continuing to rise.

Respiratory syncytial (RSV) is starting to take off, especially in the South, the WastewaterScan data show.
December 31, 2025 at 5:46 AM
bettycjung.bsky.social
Flu is dominant right now but Covid infections are slowly increasing nationwide, according to data from WastewaterScan, an academic program through Stanford University in partnership with Emory University. Covid levels are high in the South, Northeast and Midwest.
December 31, 2025 at 5:45 AM
djnoneya.bsky.social
12-30-25 WastewaterSCAN Dashboard

data.wastewaterscan.org

SARS-CoV-2 medium
data.wastewaterscan.org?charts=CjIQA...

RSV high
data.wastewaterscan.org?charts=Ci8QA...

Influenza A high
data.wastewaterscan.org?charts=CjcQA...
December 30, 2025 at 7:59 PM
wastewaterscan.bsky.social
Levels of RSV are rising in #wastewater nationally. #RSV is one of more than a dozen infectious diseases that #WastewaterSCAN monitors across the country, and we share the data publicly on our online dashboard.

Check levels near you: data.wastewaterscan.org
December 26, 2025 at 2:29 PM
authorkaraj.bsky.social
Look at this handy-dandy chart. Keep yourselves safe with ✨knowledge✨
Feelings are not facts, so even if you don't know anyone with Covid or the flu or you don't think it's around, the poop chart doesn't lie.
the wastewaterscan dashboard for NJ showing the chart for Influenza A. It is VERY high in one color/wastewater plant. On the side, it shows that there are also charts for covid, rsv, and many other illnesses
December 24, 2025 at 3:17 PM
thesicktimes.org
This is our final COVID-19 trends report for 2025. The Sick Times is off for a scheduled break through January 5, 2026.

Sign up for our newsletter to get our weekly report delivered directly to your inbox when we’re back!
The Sick Times. COVID-19 trends: December 23. Wastewater data from the CDC and WastewaterSCAN show that the Midwest and Northeast remain COVID-19 hotspots as of mid-December, while disease levels are relatively lower in the West and South. The CDC’s wastewater viral activity levels have fluctuated dramatically in recent weeks. I suspect this fluctuation may be reflecting issues with data reporting rather than actual trends in disease spread. Reporting delays and other issues may continue in the next couple of weeks as health officials take time off for the holidays. The Sick Times. COVID-19 trends: December 23. Meanwhile, the CDC healthcare system metrics — which tend to be more reliable than its wastewater surveillance metrics — are clearer in reporting slow but steady increases in COVID-19 spread. Test positivity and emergency department visits are both trending up nationally and across different regions. Flu spread also continues to increase, with flu leading to far more emergency department visits and positive lab tests than COVID-19 in the U.S. as of mid-December. The Sick Times. COVID-19 trends: December 23. Influenza-like illness (a metric representing doctors’ visits for fever, cough, and sore throat) is increasing rapidly and already at “high” or “very high” levels in some states, including New York, New Jersey, Louisiana, and Colorado. Virologist Angela Rasmussen wrote in a recent newsletter that the “CDC’s ability to carry out core activities for managing flu season is hindered or completely impaired,” thanks to the Trump administration. Map of the U.S. with states color-coded according to their levels of flu-like illness, a metric based on outpatient visits to healthcare providers for fever, cough, and sore throat. The title reads, "2025-26 Influenza Season Week 50 ending Dec 13, 2025." Colors on the map include shades of green for "minimal," greenish yellow for "low," yellow and orange for "moderate," orange and red for "high," and dark red and purple for "very high." States with higher levels include New York, New Jersey, Louisiana, and Colorado. New York City, represented separate from the rest of the state, is colored in purple for the highest tier of activity. Black text on a white graph paper background shows The Sick Times COVID-19 trends legend. WastewaterSCAN category for SARS-CoV-2: Lighter yellow = “Low” Darker yellow = “Medium” Orange = “High"; medium concentration and upward trend or high concentration and downward trend Red = “High"; high concentration and no trend or upward trend CDC wastewater viral activity level for SARS-CoV-2: Lighter yellow = “Very low” Darker yellow = “Low” Orange = “Moderate” Red = “High” or “Very high” CDC COVID-19 test positivity: Lighter yellow = Under 3% Darker yellow = 3% to 6% Orange = 6% to 10% Red = 10% or higher Week over week percent change Arrow directly down = -20% or less change Arrow diagonal down = -20% to -5% change Arrow in horizontal line = -5% to 5% change Arrow diagonal up = 5% to 20% change Arrow directly up = 20% or more change
December 23, 2025 at 6:05 PM
thesicktimes.org
COVID-19 spread continues to increase across the U.S. as we head into the most travel-and-gathering-heavy part of the year. Flu levels are also going up, more aggressively than COVID-19.

Read @betsyladyzhets.bsky.social's weekly COVID-19 trends report: bit.ly/44K5je9
Graphic from The Sick Times sharing the latest COVID-19 trends for December 23, 2025. The graphic presents trends for three metrics: WastewaterSCAN category for SARS-CoV-2, which is "medium" (represented with a dark yellow color) and reports a significant increase (represented with an up arrow); CDC wastewater viral activity level for SARS-Cov-2, which is "low*" (darker yellow) and stable (side to side arrow); and CDC COVID-19 test positivity, which is moderate (darker yellow) and slightly increasing. Text below these metrics reads: "* CDC wastewater viral activity levels are calculated based on measurements in the last two years only. They do not account for the lower spread that could be possible with more widespread precautions."
December 23, 2025 at 6:05 PM
wastewaterscan.bsky.social
ICYMI: @nbcnews.com reported #wastewater concentrations of #influenza A rose 390% nationwide from Nov to Dec and levels continue to rise according to Dr. Marlene Wolfe, WastewaterSCAN co-program director.

See where flu is increasing: data.wastewaterscan.org/

www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...
Flu season is hitting kids hard. As the holidays near, older adults are likely next.
A new strain called H3N2 subclade K has emerged, raising concerns that the body may not be able to fight it off as well. Experts say everyone should "absolutely" still get a flu shot.
www.nbcnews.com
December 22, 2025 at 8:45 PM
peoplescdc.org
COVID levels increasing, Safer Holiday Gatherings Videos and Resources, ACIP Meeting Takes Wrong Direction, and Take Action to Oppose Casey Means as Nominee for Surgeon General
Header: “People’s CDC” logo in teal. Current Epidemic Growth Status based on emergency department visits as of December 16. The text above the map: “COVID Infections Growing or Likely Growing in 31 States Up from 17 States.” “Growing” states include California, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. “Likely Growing” states are Alabama, Arizona, Indiana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, South Dakota, and Texas. One state is “Likely Declining,” which is Hawaii. “Not Changing" states are Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.” Text at the bottom reads “People’s CDC. Source: WastewaterSCAN.” Footer: "The Weather Report 12/22/25, peoplescdc.org" Header: "Variants". Along with the “People’s CDC” logo in teal. Body text: "As of December 20, 2025, the CDC’s wastewater variant tracking shows that variant XFG, as known as “Stratus,” still makes up a majority of infections, predicted to account for over 61% down from 69% of all infections. The variant XFG is decreasing from its peak in dominance earlier this fall where it contributed to 71-74% of all US cases. XFG.14.1 is starting to gain traction and is estimated to make up 15% up from 10% of all cases. WHO has noted that current vaccines should continue to offer protection from XFG variants." Footer: "The Weather Report 12/22/25, peoplescdc.org" Header: “People’s CDC” logo in teal. A set of stacked bar charts in one month intervals on the horizontal x-axis and percentage of circulating variants on the vertical y-axis. The first label is January 18, 2025. The last date shown is November 22,2025. The estimated percentage on November 22, 2025 shows XFG in dark blue as 61% and XFG.14.1 shows as gray-blue at 15%.These are estimations based on a reading of the graph as a static image. Text at the bottom reads “People’s CDC. Source: WastewaterSCAN.” Footer: "The Weather Report 12/22/25, peoplescdc.org" Header: "Vaccines". Along with the “People’s CDC” logo in teal. Body text: "Vaccination with the most updated boosters of COVID, flu, and RSV remains safe and effective at decreasing one’s risk for death and hospitalization from these diseases. Additionally, last week, the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met and rescinded recommendations for universal Hepatitis B vaccination for newborns. We strongly condemn this decision made by numerous new members of ACIP who came into the role with preexisting anti-vax ideology." Footer: "The Weather Report 12/22/25, peoplescdc.org"
December 22, 2025 at 5:36 AM
peoplescdc.org
This is the People’s CDC bi-weekly update for December 21st, 2025! This Brief Weather Report from the People’s CDC sheds light on the ongoing COVID pandemic and other public health crises in the United States.
Blue background. Header: “The Weather Report 12/22/25." A map of the United States color-coded in shades of blue and teal displaying SARS-CoV-2 Wastewater Viral Activity levels from CDC Data last updated on December 18, 2025 with title reads, “Four States Reporting “high.” Deeper tones correlate to higher viral activity. Gray indicates “No Data,” and stripes indicate “limited coverage,” which is based on less than 5% of the population and may not be accurate. Much of the map, including many states West of Minnesota, and the coastal Southern states appear in light green, indicating “Very Low” concentrations. The second most predominant color is teal, which is visible in the Midwest indicating “Low” activity. There is no data for North Dakota or the U.S. Virgin Islands, and limited coverage for Arizona, Indiana, Guam, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, and Oklahoma. Text at the bottom: “People’s CDC. Source: CDC.” Header: "The Weather" Along with the “People’s CDC” logo in teal. Body text: "The CDC-based wastewater map was updated on December 18th, and it shows “high” levels in four states (Connecticut, Kentucky, Maine, and Oklahoma), “moderate” levels in 11 states, “low” levels in 13 states, and “very low” levels in 23 states and territories. Regional data indicate that all regions are seeing SARS-CoV-2 detection in wastewater reaching a potential peak and slightly dropping, except the Midwest, where it has plateaued." Footer: "The Weather Report 12/22/25, peoplescdc.org" Header: “People’s CDC” logo in teal. A line graph’s title reads “Wastewater levels may have reached peak.” The Y axis is COVID concentration levels from Very Low to Very High. The X-axis shows dates from Jan 1,, 2025, through December 13, 2025—the line graph peaks in January, August, September, and December 2025. Levels decline nationally in October but begin a slight upward trend in late November 2025 with a slight trend decreasing in December 2025. Text at the bottom: “People’s CDC. Source: CDC." Text at the bottom reads “People’s CDC. Source: WastewaterSCAN.” Footer: "The Weather Report 12/22/25, peoplescdc.org" Header: "Emergency Room Use" Along with the “People’s CDC” logo in teal. Body text: "Another sign of the profound impact of COVID is the percentage of emergency room visits involving a new COVID diagnosis. According to the CDC, the proportion of Emergency Room visits involving a COVID diagnosis is at 0.4% as of December 9th." Footer: "The Weather Report 12/22/25, peoplescdc.org"
December 22, 2025 at 5:36 AM
djnoneya.bsky.social
12-20-25 WastewaterSCAN Dashboard
data.wastewaterscan.org

SARS-CoV-2 medium
data.wastewaterscan.org?charts=CjIQA...

Influenza A high
data.wastewaterscan.org?charts=CjcQA...

Norovirus medium
data.wastewaterscan.org?charts=CjMQA...
December 21, 2025 at 12:26 AM
bettycjung.bsky.social
December 19, 2025. WastewaterSCAN Dashboard
#FLU Lots of cases all over the country!
Take precautions! 😷💉
{https://data.wastewaterscan.org/}
December 20, 2025 at 4:56 AM
bettycjung.bsky.social
December 19, 2025. WastewaterSCAN Dashboard
#COVID19 Lots of cases all over the country!
Take precautions! 😷💉
{https://data.wastewaterscan.org/}
December 20, 2025 at 4:51 AM
djnoneya.bsky.social
12-19-25 WastewaterSCAN Dashboard
data.wastewaterscan.org

Measles Low
data.wastewaterscan.org?charts=CjMQA...

SARS-CoV-2 medium
data.wastewaterscan.org?charts=CjIQA...

Influenza A high
data.wastewaterscan.org?charts=CjcQA...
December 19, 2025 at 9:30 PM