(File photo/Canadian Press)

By Jaryn Vecchio

COVID Levels

COVID levels dropping in P.A. and North Battleford, but remain high: study

Oct 3, 2022 | 2:35 PM

COVID levels in Prince Albert are dropping according to the University of Saskatchewan.

Researchers studying the virus through the community’s wastewater claim the current viral load is down roughly 15 per cent from last week. Despite this, levels are the fifth largest recorded during the pandemic.

The U of S has been studying the community’s wastewater from Aug. 24, 2021, to Sept. 26, 2022.

P.A.’s current levels are also around one and a half times more than what the city’s been averaging over the past 10 weeks, the university says.

As for North Battleford, the city’s levels are down slightly from last week but remain the sixth largest recorded during the pandemic.

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The levels are nearly double what the city has averaged in the last 10 weeks. The viral load is also nearly one and a half times less than what P.A. is currently experiencing.

Saskatoon, the third city having its wastewater studied by the U of S, saw the biggest decrease week-over-week, around 36 per cent.

Out of the three cities, Saskatoon’s viral load is the smallest.

Meanwhile, the researchers also state the Omicron sub-variant BA.5 is the most dominant strain found in North Battleford and Saskatoon, while BA.2 continues to be the largest in P.A.

The subvariant accounts for roughly 50 per cent of levels in Saskatoon and North Battleford. BA.2 is much more prominent in P.A. as it’s accounting for over 84 per cent of levels.

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Jaryn.Vecchio@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow