Auton Lab helps making sense of the spread of Omicron and other variants of COVID in our region

[Artur Dubrawski]

Dear Autonians,

Local media are now finding interest in our joint efforts with Allegheny
County Health Department (ACHD) to monitor for and forecast emergence of
new waves of COVID-19 by using microbiological testing of sewage samples
and other sources of relevant data.

Hats off to Jessie Chen who demonstrated - to many who were initially
doubtful - that the increases in sewage counts of COVID isolates precede
significant ramp-ups in identified human cases of disease by one or more
weeks.

Our proof of concept has brought modest funding from ACHD to help us
develop a systematic analysis capability that this local public health
office will use in their daily practice.

Here is one of the media snippets:

https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/first-cases-omicron-variant-confirmed-allegheny-county/BISIEOOECZBVLFCCAT2TGJJOYE/

and the original press release from ACHD:

https://www.alleghenycounty.us/News/2021/Health-Department-2021/6442476578.aspx

Cheers,
Artur
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