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Scientific European<p><a href="https://toot.community/tags/PandemicPotential" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PandemicPotential</span></a> of <a href="https://toot.community/tags/HumanMetapneumovirus" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>HumanMetapneumovirus</span></a> ( <a href="https://toot.community/tags/hmpv" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>hmpv</span></a> ) <a href="https://toot.community/tags/Outbreaks" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Outbreaks</span></a> </p><p><a href="https://www.scientificeuropean.co.uk/medicine/pandemic-potential-of-human-metapneumovirus-hmpv-outbreaks/" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">scientificeuropean.co.uk/medic</span><span class="invisible">ine/pandemic-potential-of-human-metapneumovirus-hmpv-outbreaks/</span></a></p>
Augie Ray<p>India: <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/HMPV" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>HMPV</span></a> cases are a risk so we need to step up surveillance at transit hubs. "People between 5 and 70 years of age are susceptible to this virus." <a href="https://www.livemint.com/news/india/hmpv-virus-news-live-updates-cases-in-india-china-worldwide-tracker-human-metapneumovirus-symptoms-guidelines-11736153536357.html" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">livemint.com/news/india/hmpv-v</span><span class="invisible">irus-news-live-updates-cases-in-india-china-worldwide-tracker-human-metapneumovirus-symptoms-guidelines-11736153536357.html</span></a> </p><p>Also <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/India" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>India</span></a>: Let's hold the world’s largest public gathering with more than 400 million people traveling and coming together in a six-week festival. <a href="https://www.semafor.com/article/01/12/2025/maha-kumbh-mela-india-gears-up-for-worlds-largest-public-gathering" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">semafor.com/article/01/12/2025</span><span class="invisible">/maha-kumbh-mela-india-gears-up-for-worlds-largest-public-gathering</span></a></p><p>How do you think this is going to end?</p>
Benjamin Carr, Ph.D. 👨🏻‍💻🧬<p><a href="https://hachyderm.io/tags/China" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>China</span></a> is having standard <a href="https://hachyderm.io/tags/flu" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>flu</span></a> season despite widespread <a href="https://hachyderm.io/tags/HMPV" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>HMPV</span></a> fears<br>There's a good chance you've seen headlines about HMPV recently, with some touting "what you need to know" about the virus, aka human metapneumovirus. The answer is: not much. It's a common, usually mild respiratory <a href="https://hachyderm.io/tags/virus" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>virus</span></a> that circulates every year, blending into the throng of other seasonal respiratory illnesses that are often indistinguishable from one another. <br><a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2025/01/chinas-illness-spike-is-mostly-just-seasonal-flu-and-other-usual-bugs/" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">arstechnica.com/science/2025/0</span><span class="invisible">1/chinas-illness-spike-is-mostly-just-seasonal-flu-and-other-usual-bugs/</span></a></p>
Jiko Rojino<p>China has reported a rise in human metapneumovirus (HMPV) cases in its northern region in recent weeks. The governments of Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines have responded to the HMPV situation.</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Outbreak" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Outbreak</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Asian" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Asian</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Virus" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Virus</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BenarNews" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BenarNews</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/PublicHealth" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PublicHealth</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/TootSEA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>TootSEA</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/HMPV" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>HMPV</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Health" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Health</span></a> </p><p><a href="https://www.benarnews.org/english/news/philippine/hmpv-virus-china-outbreak-01072025134915.html" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">benarnews.org/english/news/phi</span><span class="invisible">lippine/hmpv-virus-china-outbreak-01072025134915.html</span></a></p>
clarkiestar<p><a href="https://news.sky.com/story/what-is-hmpv-and-should-we-be-worried-about-it-13285104" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">news.sky.com/story/what-is-hmp</span><span class="invisible">v-and-should-we-be-worried-about-it-13285104</span></a> </p><p>Far out, this has annoyed me! Why no mention of it sooooo obviously being airborne? Why all this bollocks about handwashing being like almost the only way to prevent the spread? Amazing how the media can carry on in denial about so many things (not just this), regardless established facts</p><p><a href="https://mas.to/tags/masks" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>masks</span></a> <a href="https://mas.to/tags/airquality" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>airquality</span></a> <a href="https://mas.to/tags/airfilters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>airfilters</span></a> <a href="https://mas.to/tags/virus" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>virus</span></a> <a href="https://mas.to/tags/hmpv" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>hmpv</span></a> <a href="https://mas.to/tags/covid" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>covid</span></a></p>
Jericho Jameston<p><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/India" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>India</span></a> to re-introduce strict <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/health" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>health</span></a> rules similar to <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/COVID" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>COVID</span></a> restrictions as unconfirmed reports continue to emerge of <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/hospitals" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>hospitals</span></a> in <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/China" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>China</span></a> being overwhelmed by <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/patients" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>patients</span></a> with <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/HMPV" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>HMPV</span></a>: <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/news" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>news</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Asia" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Asia</span></a> <a href="https://www.the-express.com/news/world-news/159576/hmpv-covid-rules-china-mystery-virus-india" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">the-express.com/news/world-new</span><span class="invisible">s/159576/hmpv-covid-rules-china-mystery-virus-india</span></a></p>
Paul Chambers🚧<p>Takeaway Quote, "I hate the smell of MAGA." </p><p>Yesterday, my wife went to cardiac therapy. The waiting room is a multi-purpose room. There are four different windows and four different receptions, one on each wall, for multiple types of doctors and services.</p><p>This room really isn't that big. We are rural and most doctors come from the metro area with shared satellite offices. </p><p>She said there were around 15 people in a room that fits maybe 25.</p><p>She was wearing a mask and when she came in, the mood changed, and the mood change came with nasty looks. <a href="https://oldfriends.live/tags/Flu" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Flu</span></a> <a href="https://oldfriends.live/tags/COVID" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>COVID</span></a> <a href="https://oldfriends.live/tags/HMPV" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>HMPV</span></a> <a href="https://oldfriends.live/tags/RSV" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>RSV</span></a></p><p>No one said anything verbally, but it was clear where they stood on masking</p><p>She said she noticed as they got more worked up about her mask, as the looks got nastier, the room smelled.</p><p>She supposes it was their hormones reacting to their outrage. </p><p>When she came out and got into the car, one of the first things she told me was, "I hate the smell of MAGA."</p>
kaffando<p><span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://mastodon.social/@palin" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">@<span>palin</span></a></span> </p><p>Wait....WHAT????!!!</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/HMPV" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>HMPV</span></a></p>
SARS2PA<p>Good Afternoon SARS2PAians!</p><p>I hope you had a clear and safe view of the eclipse on Tuesday!!! 🌗🌘🌑</p><p>I hope you also have a great and safe Spring now that warmer weather is finally here! 💐💐💐<br>__________<br>VOCs</p><p>Nothing much new to report on new variants (which is why I didn't post on Monday...absolutely nothing was updated at all...wastewater, CDC, variants, etc.).</p><p>JN.1 and JN.1.4 still at the top of the leaderboard.</p><p>The fastest two variants now in the US are JN.1.18 and KP.2 (which is a descendant of JN.1.11.1) and though the two are making gains every update, they don't seem to be near as fast as JN.1 was.: <a href="https://ibb.co/zFNhBF7" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="">ibb.co/zFNhBF7</span><span class="invisible"></span></a> </p><p>There are no new imminently concerning variants on the horizon right now.</p><p>__________<br>Wastewater</p><p>National level is still MEDIUM on WastewaterSCAN but we're now approaching where we were at this time last year. Still a ways to go to get to LOW levels but at least it isn't going up for now.: <a href="https://ibb.co/yR8ttZ1" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="">ibb.co/yR8ttZ1</span><span class="invisible"></span></a></p><p>Wastewater is showing SARS2 actually increasing in the UPark area.:<a href="https://ibb.co/K2MWY4G" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="">ibb.co/K2MWY4G</span><span class="invisible"></span></a></p><p>PLEASE use quality respirators, be aware of social contacts, and KEEP THE AIR CLEAN!</p><p>__________<br>Other Pathogens</p><p>WastewaterSCAN has us at MEDIUM for SARS2 but there's still a LOOOOOT out there that is HIGH.: <a href="https://ibb.co/R6R5jDM" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="">ibb.co/R6R5jDM</span><span class="invisible"></span></a></p><p>FluA, FluB, Human Metapneumovirus(HMPV) and gastro pathogens Norovirus and Rotavirus are still HIGH nationally.</p><p>In PA, the highest by far is Noro, but also FluA and FluB is very high.</p><p>Wear respirators to control SARS2 and WASH THOSE HANDSIES to control the gastro stuff! 👐</p><p>UPark has got some work to do with pathogen control. Levels are going up/lagging behind on handling SARS2, FluA, FluB, HMPV, Noro.: <a href="https://ibb.co/YcvPpJg" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="">ibb.co/YcvPpJg</span><span class="invisible"></span></a></p><p>Please get a handle of this stuff, UPark.</p><p>__________<br>H5N1</p><p>A condensed version of the current state of H5N1:</p><p>H5N1 IS NOT NEW.</p><p>So far, the only human cases of contracting H5N1 are through direct contact with infected animals.</p><p>So far, scientists are still unsure of how H5N1 affects cattle. THIS IS in fact, NEW.</p><p>🔴Cattle cases have been found in 8 states.: <a href="https://ibb.co/YcvPpJg" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="">ibb.co/YcvPpJg</span><span class="invisible"></span></a></p><p>The vast majority are in Texas. 40% of Panhandle cattle have been infected, and that area produces 82% of Texas' milk. This is LOTS of room for new mutations to develop.: <a href="https://ibb.co/yFr2Rm1" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="">ibb.co/yFr2Rm1</span><span class="invisible"></span></a></p><p>New Mexico<br>Idaho<br>North Carolina<br>Ohio<br>Michigan<br>Kansas<br>South Dakota.</p><p>These states are not in the paths of migratory birds so contaminated FEED is suspected. The feed is contaminated by practices that are LEGAL in the US but BANNED in Canada and Europe....mainly, feeding bird waste to cattle.</p><p>🔴 Feed for swine was DEREGULATED in 2018 and MUST be re-regulated to protect swine from H5N1. They are genetically similar to humans and can easily percolate a mutation that spreads to humans.: <a href="https://ibb.co/NxdSJm7" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="">ibb.co/NxdSJm7</span><span class="invisible"></span></a></p><p>🔴 Feed for all farm animals must be regulated and animal waste must be kept out of farm animal food.</p><p>__________<br>Like COVID, H5N1 has the ability to gain new mutations from new hosts. THIS IS NOT A NEW CONCEPT.</p><p>Some things to watch for that are NOT CURRENT but are progressively bad:</p><p>--Cattle-to-cattle transmission proven.</p><p>--Contaminant-to-swine (pigs) develop.</p><p>--Swine-to-Human acquired.</p><p>--Human-to-human transmisison proven.</p><p>The first three have to somehow happen before the fourth happens. None of these things seem to be imminent but that progression will mirror pathogens like Spanish Flu.</p><p>I keep spending a lot of time on this because I cannot stress enough that H5N1 in humans has a 50% kill (case fatality) rate so far. A vaccine does exist for H5N1 for both humans and birds, but the human version is not stored in mass quantities for now.</p><p>Some things we can do together to lessen the chances of allowing H5N1 to mutate:</p><p>🔴 Lobby for CLEAN animal feed for swine, cattle, and fowl.</p><p>🔴 Buy dairy products from smaller, more humane farms. Grass-fed cattle and free-range chicken eggs are more expensive, but better than battery farming products where thousands of animals are squeezed together.</p><p>🔴 Buy ultra-pasteurized dairy products (most of our cream is ultra pasteurized anyway).</p><p>🔴 Insist that farm birds are vaccinated against H5N1.</p><p>🔴 I can't stress enough that farm feed must be HUMANE and REGULATED. This is not political, this is literally to stop a highly pathogenic disease from becoming capable of infecting humans.</p><p>Contaminated cattle feed is exactly how the prion infection called Mad Cow Disease begun.</p><p>Clean feed and happy farm animals make better, cleaner, and healthier products!</p><p>__________</p><p>There are always simple things we can all do to prevent the possibility of dangerous pathogen mutations!</p><p>Source control is the most important part to keeping life, learning, and financial loss to a minimum.</p><p>I hope you all continue to have a great Spring! 💐💐💐</p><p><a href="https://zeroes.ca/tags/covid" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>covid</span></a> <a href="https://zeroes.ca/tags/Covid19" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Covid19</span></a> <a href="https://zeroes.ca/tags/SARS2PA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>SARS2PA</span></a> <a href="https://zeroes.ca/tags/CDC" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CDC</span></a> <a href="https://zeroes.ca/tags/CovidIsNotOver" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CovidIsNotOver</span></a> <a href="https://zeroes.ca/tags/Pennsylvania" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Pennsylvania</span></a> <a href="https://zeroes.ca/tags/PA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PA</span></a> <a href="https://zeroes.ca/tags/JN1" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>JN1</span></a> <a href="https://zeroes.ca/tags/KP2" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>KP2</span></a> <a href="https://zeroes.ca/tags/FluA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>FluA</span></a> <a href="https://zeroes.ca/tags/FluB" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>FluB</span></a> <a href="https://zeroes.ca/tags/Influenza" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Influenza</span></a> <a href="https://zeroes.ca/tags/Norovirus" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Norovirus</span></a> <a href="https://zeroes.ca/tags/Rotavirus" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Rotavirus</span></a> <a href="https://zeroes.ca/tags/H5N1" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>H5N1</span></a> <a href="https://zeroes.ca/tags/HMPV" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>HMPV</span></a></p><p><a href="https://zeroes.ca/tags/WearAMask" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WearAMask</span></a> <a href="https://zeroes.ca/tags/CleanTheAir" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CleanTheAir</span></a> <a href="https://zeroes.ca/tags/StayHomeIfSick" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>StayHomeIfSick</span></a> !</p>
Yogi Jaeger<p>Caught a really nasty case of <a href="https://spore.social/tags/RSV" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>RSV</span></a> or <a href="https://spore.social/tags/HMPV" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>HMPV</span></a>. Apparently, such cases are on the rise in adults post <a href="https://spore.social/tags/COVID" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>COVID</span></a>. Non-stop cough (day &amp; night) for weeks. </p><p>Try not to catch one of these. Wear a mask. Avoid crowds. A whole new viral ecosystem has emerged during this ongoing pandemic.</p>
Hippy Steve<p>If you're sick in <a href="https://m.ai6yr.org/tags/LosAngeles" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>LosAngeles</span></a> it is almost certainly <a href="https://m.ai6yr.org/tags/covid" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>covid</span></a> </p><p><a href="https://m.ai6yr.org/tags/flu" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>flu</span></a> <a href="https://m.ai6yr.org/tags/RSV" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>RSV</span></a> and <a href="https://m.ai6yr.org/tags/hmpv" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>hmpv</span></a> are non-existent in wastewater samples right now. while covid is rising sharply (yet still at relatively low levels compared to other times in the pandemic)</p><p><a href="https://m.ai6yr.org/tags/CovidIsNotOver" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CovidIsNotOver</span></a></p>
Laffy<p>Swell. </p><p>“…a little-known virus that causes many of the same symptoms –lower lung infection, hacking cough, runny nose, sore throat and fever…picking up steam.</p><p>Cases of human metapneumovirus, or <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/HMPV" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>HMPV</span></a>, spiked this spring… It filled hospital intensive care units with young children and seniors who are the most vulnerable to these infections.” <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/health" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>health</span></a> </p><p><a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/29/health/human-metapneumovirus-explainer-wellness/index.html" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">cnn.com/2023/05/29/health/huma</span><span class="invisible">n-metapneumovirus-explainer-wellness/index.html</span></a></p>
The Conversation U.S.<p>Years of wearing masks and social distancing put the human metapneumovirus at bay, but there’s been a large spike in cases in just the last few months. </p><p>It presents with symptoms like other common respiratory viruses, with congestion, cough and fever. </p><p>What you should know:</p><p><a href="https://theconversation.com/human-metapneumovirus-or-hmpv-is-filling-icus-this-spring-a-pediatric-infectious-disease-specialist-explains-this-little-known-virus-202594" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">theconversation.com/human-meta</span><span class="invisible">pneumovirus-or-hmpv-is-filling-icus-this-spring-a-pediatric-infectious-disease-specialist-explains-this-little-known-virus-202594</span></a><br><a href="https://newsie.social/tags/Health" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Health</span></a> <a href="https://newsie.social/tags/HealthNews" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>HealthNews</span></a> <a href="https://newsie.social/tags/HMPV" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>HMPV</span></a> <a href="https://newsie.social/tags/MedMastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MedMastodon</span></a></p>
Chuck Darwin<p>A Valuable Early-warning System for Disease Outbreaks Could Be Shut Down - Scientific American</p><p><a href="https://c.im/tags/Wastewater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Wastewater</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/surveillance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>surveillance</span></a> is valuable because it provides data from thousands of people in one sample. Unlike COVID case counts, it doesn’t rely on individuals getting tested at a health care facility. </p><p>“It doesn’t matter if everybody is willing to and is able to be tested in a given area or nobody is—we’re going to have the exact same data,” says Nathan LaCross, manager of the Utah Department of Health’s wastewater program. </p><p>Sewage sampling became particularly useful last year as more people opted for at-home tests, which aren’t counted by health agencies, experts say.</p><p>The <a href="https://c.im/tags/end" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>end</span></a> of the <a href="https://c.im/tags/federal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>federal</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/public" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>public</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/health" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>health</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/emergency" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>emergency</span></a> for COVID is likely to make wastewater surveillance even more important as individual testing becomes more expensive and harder to access. </p><p>For almost a year, testing data have been “increasingly unreliable” at providing an accurate case count, LaCross says. That’s why he expects to continue relying on wastewater data in 2023.</p><p>Some researchers and health officials are also working to expand their wastewater programs beyond COVID and have found that the technology can track a <a href="https://c.im/tags/wide" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>wide</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/variety" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>variety</span></a> of health <a href="https://c.im/tags/threats" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>threats</span></a>. </p><p>For example, the WastewaterSCAN project tests for flu, respiratory syncytial virus (<a href="https://c.im/tags/RSV" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>RSV</span></a>), <a href="https://c.im/tags/mpox" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>mpox</span></a>, <a href="https://c.im/tags/norovirus" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>norovirus</span></a> and human metapneumovirus (<a href="https://c.im/tags/HMPV" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>HMPV</span></a>), as well as SARS-CoV-2. </p><p>The pandemic “opened our imaginations” to new potential uses of wastewater, says Marlene Wolfe, a principal investigator of the SCAN project and an assistant professor at Emory University.</p><p>New York State’s health department recently announced that it will also expand its wastewater program to new diseases and add at least 90 more monitoring sites. </p><p>David Larsen, an epidemiologist at Syracuse University who runs the New York State program, sees three directions for this expansion: preparing to track <a href="https://c.im/tags/emerging" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>emerging</span></a> pathogens (such as mpox and <a href="https://c.im/tags/H5N1" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>H5N1</span></a>), improving monitoring of <a href="https://c.im/tags/seasonal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>seasonal</span></a> diseases (such as <a href="https://c.im/tags/flu" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>flu</span></a> and RSV) and filling other “<a href="https://c.im/tags/knowledge" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>knowledge</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/gaps" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>gaps</span></a>” for local public health departments. The last category could include everything from <a href="https://c.im/tags/opioid" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>opioid</span></a> use to dangerous <a href="https://c.im/tags/fungi" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>fungi</span></a>. </p><p>Biobot Analytics, a leading wastewater testing company, was originally founded to monitor the opioid crisis before pivoting to COVID in 2020, while Utah’s health department is working to track the fungus Candida auris, which can cause a dangerous infection, in sewage.</p><p><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-valuable-early-warning-system-for-disease-outbreaks-could-be-shut-down/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">scientificamerican.com/article</span><span class="invisible">/a-valuable-early-warning-system-for-disease-outbreaks-could-be-shut-down/</span></a></p>