Wastewater Monitoring Results for 2026-03-22

March 26, 2026

Wastewater monitoring offers an early indicator of community respiratory virus activity by detecting viral genetic material shed by infected individuals, which helps track infection trends regardless of individual testing rates. Current data shows elevated RSV levels and present but lower Influenza B activity, with tables and a glossary provided to interpret these measurements in both short-term and historical contexts.

Photo: CDC, woman-holding-laboratory-appratus, on Unsplash.com, licensed under Unsplash License.

Wastewater monitoring provides an early signal of respiratory virus activity in the community. When people are infected, they shed viral genetic material in their feces and urine. This means wastewater data can show trends in infections even when individual testing rates change. This surveillance helps public health officials track the spread of viruses.

The most recent measurement shows Influenza B at 40.0 gene copies per liter and RSV at 26,680.0 gene copies per liter. Influenza A was not detected. Compared to the past 30 days, RSV levels are elevated, while Influenza B activity is present but lower. These levels do not indicate disease severity.

Two tables help interpret this data. One shows the combined activity over the last seven days, giving a snapshot of current conditions. The other compares current levels to historical annual peaks, providing long-term context. This helps show whether current measurements are unusual for the time of year.

A short glossary explains key terms. RSV, or Respiratory Syncytial Virus, is a common cause of respiratory illness. Influenza A and Influenza B are the two main types of flu virus. RNA is the genetic material of these viruses. PCR is a lab method used to detect and measure this RNA in wastewater.


Table 1: Latest Influenza A, Influenza B, and RSV Levels in Wastewater (last7 Days)
Date Influenza A (gc/L) Influenza B (gc/L) RSV (gc/L)
2026-03-22 0 40 26,680
2026-03-21 0 40 26,680
2026-03-19 0 0 40,000
2026-03-17 0 0 33,720
2026-03-15 0 0 16,240
2026-03-14 0 0 16,240
2026-03-12 0 0 20,960


Table 2: Highest Yearly Influenza and RSV Levels Detected in Wastewater by Year (as of 2026-03-22)
year Date Influenza A (gc/L) Influenza B (gc/L) RSV (gc/L) Total (gc/L)
2026 2026-02-26 0 488000 30800 518800
2025 2025-12-06 456000 0 44400 500400
2024 2024-10-01 0 0 219200 219200
2023 2023-12-07 50800 1008 828000 879808
2022 2022-12-01 263200 77200 1052000 1392400
2021 2021-11-21 0 0 66400 66400

Data source: Abwassermonitoring: Influenza und RSV
Additional resources: Infectious Diseases Dashboard (IDD), OGD-BS Dashboard: Virenmonitoring im Abwasser

🤖 This text was generated with the assistance of AI. All quantitative statements are derived directly from the dataset listed under Data Source.