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Concentrations of the SARS-CoV-2 virus (the COVID-19 virus) gene in the Chicago sewer system, as measured at eight sewershed sites. These sites represent catchment areas that describe wastewater from 319,700 Chicagoans as of January 2023. Because SARS-CoV-2 is shed in human feces, this method can be used to estimate changes in COVID-19 at different times and locations across Chicago. While the data in this dataset do not indicate how many people were infected with SARS-CoV-2, differences in the the normalized_n1 indicate whether the proportion of individuals at the site who are shedding that virus has changed.

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) aggregates confirmed cases of COVID-19 by sewershed restricted locations. Confirmed cases are defined as individuals with a positive molecular test, which tests for viral genetic material, such as a polymerase chain reaction test. Since wastewater data available starts from January 1st, 2021, rather than the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the cumulative counts of the confirmed cases variable are shown as “NA”. Please note that values less than 5 for confirmed cases are masked (shown as “Masked”) if the sewershed population size is 50,000 or fewer, in accordance with de-identification guidelines. Values less than 3 for cases are masked (shown as “Masked”) if the sewershed population size is between 50,001 and 250,000. For no confirmed cases reported, values are set as zero.

Data regarding the impacts of COVID-19 at the Department of Water Resources. Data includes information on the number employees who have tested positive for COVID-19, statistics on employees work status (telecommuting, in office, time off), and the impacts to the Division of Integrated Watershed Management' programs.

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) aggregates confirmed cases of COVID-19 by sewershed restricted locations. Confirmed cases are defined as individuals with a positive molecular test, which tests for viral genetic material, such as a polymerase chain reaction test. Since wastewater data available starts from January 1st, 2021, rather than the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the cumulative counts of the confirmed cases variable are shown as “NA”. Please note that values less than 5 for confirmed cases are masked (shown as “Masked”) if the sewershed population size is 50,000 or fewer, in accordance with de-identification guidelines. Values less than 3 for cases are masked (shown as “Masked”) if the sewershed population size is between 50,001 and 250,000. For no confirmed cases reported, values are set as zero.

__NOTICE: As of September 6, 2024, the wastewater surveillance dataset will now be hosted on: https://data.chhs.ca.gov/dataset/wastewater-surveillance-data-california. The dataset will no longer be updated on this webpage and will contain a historic dataset. Users who wish to access new and updated data will need to visit the new webpage.__ The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) together are coordinating with several wastewater utilities, local health departments, universities, and laboratories in California on wastewater surveillance for SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19. Data collected from this network of participants, called the California Surveillance of Wastewater Systems (Cal-SuWers) Network, are submitted to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS). During the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been used for the detection and quantification of SARS-CoV-2 virus shed into wastewater via feces of infected persons. Wastewater surveillance tracks ""pooled samples"" that reflect the overall disease activity for a community serviced by the wastewater treatment plant (an area known as a ""sewershed""), rather than tracking samples from individual people. Notably, while SARS-CoV-2 virus is shed fecally by infected persons, COVID-19 is spread primarily through the respiratory route, and there is no evidence to date that exposure to treated or untreated wastewater has led to infection with COVID-19. Collecting and analyzing wastewater samples for the overall amount of SARS-CoV-2 viral particles present can help inform public health about the level of viral transmission within a community. Data from wastewater testing are not intended to replace existing COVID-19 surveillance systems, but are meant to complement them. While wastewater surveillance cannot determine the exact number of infected persons in the area being monitored, it can provide the overall trend of virus concentration within that community. With our local partners, the SWRCB and CDPH are currently monitoring and quantifying levels of SARS-CoV-2 at the headworks or ""influent"" of 21 wastewater treatment plants representing approximately 48% of California's population."

Note: This dataset is no longer updated but is being kept for historical reference. For the Department of Public Health’s current COVID-19 testing information at any time, please see the Testing section of https://www.chicago.gov/coronavirus. Locations offering COVID-19 testing in Chicago. For a map of these locations, see https://data.cityofchicago.org/d/j2wj-wjrp. For more information on COVID-19 testing, see https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/sites/covid-19/home/managing-your-health.html?#tab-shouldtest. For all datasets related to COVID-19, see https://data.cityofchicago.org/browse?limitTo=datasets&sortBy=alpha&tags=covid-19.