ST PAUL, Minn. — Health officials reported a small spike in likely COVID cases and hospital admissions over the month of July.
According to recent data from the Metropolitan Council, the COVID RNA viral load flowing into its wastewater treatment plant increased 31% in the week from July 31 to Aug. 6 in the metro area. The Met Council said the data increase was "driven by an elevated value on one day."
The Metro Plant tracks the amount of COVID viral RNA flowing in daily from St. Paul, Minneapolis and 64 surrounding communities, and officials said it often reflects the number of new cases reported by the Minnesota Department of Health.
Variant XBB, derived from the Omicron BA.2 variant, was dominant in the wastewater entering the plant throughout the week, which reflects the trend in statewide data.
Data from the Minnesota Department of Health shows COVID-19 cases are up slightly in Minnesota, and over the past month new hospitalizations increased by 55%.
Still, hospitalization rates remain significantly lower than the averages seen during spikes in late 2020 and early 2022.
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