COVID-19 Fragments Found In Wastewater Near University Of Maine
No lie, I about had a heart attack when I first saw this headline, because I thought there were actual fragments of COVID-19 being found in DRINKING water, but it's wastewater. Still though, that's very no bueno.
According to The Bangor Daily News, the University of Maine said there have been traces of COVID-19 found in Orono wastewater. While the levels found in the water are low, the report still suggests it could be a sign of a potential outbreak on the way, since COVID can be shed through going to the bathroom (the second one) before symptoms start.
To their credit, this isn't something the University of Maine slept on or didn't pay attention to. They've been monitoring wastewater levels since the end of August in Orono as well as a couple other surrounding areas that house a lot of students, and they've been crystal clear until this test came back with positive fragments.
For comparison, according to The Bangor Daily News, something similiar happened in Standish at St. Joseph's College -- the wastewater there had positive fragments of COVID in it, and what followed was 9 students testing positive and a temporary switch to remote learning only for the school. The University of Maine told The Bangor Daily News that when the results of this last test were released, they also had one COVID-positive student.
It's crazy how much this thing has mutated -- including the fact that it can mutate at all. At first I feel like people assumed it was no worse than the flu, then it was just the elderly in serious danger -- now it literally sees no age and doesn't care if its already infected you, it's coming back after you. But now it's in WASTEWATER? (Which, again, is way better than the drinking water -- that would be like straight out of the movie Cabin Fever.)
Hopefully, no outbreak comes from this and it's serving as a fair warning for everyone to be more careful, but yikes, unnerving news regardless. Everyone stay safe!