NB wastewater and COVID-19 data available again | COVID-19 in Atlantic Canada

The Public Health Agency of Canada has re-established data on viral activity for COVID-19 in wastewater in New Brunswick on its website.

The federal agency conducted a five-month review of the quality of the tests, following concerns about the accuracy of the results in the province.

According to a spokeswoman, the agency wanted assess batch-to-batch variability in New Brunswick.

This may affect the accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of the testwe can read in a press release.

A rare decision

The agency then temporarily suspended, out of excess caution the publication of data from the 10 wastewater testing sites in the province, namely Bathurst, Campbellton, Edmundston, FrederictonMiramichi, MonctonSackville, eastern Saint John, Saint John-Lancaster and St Stephen.

This data has been accessible again since September 20 on the national dashboard.

Last year, the publication of St. John’s data was suspended for several months also due to a quality review of the tests. According to the agency, It is rare for the national laboratory to stop testing.

The provincial health ministry declined a request for an interview or additional information. The spokesperson Katelin Dean said the COVID-19 wastewater monitoring dashboard is the responsibility of the Public Health Agency of Canada.

“High” activity

According to the latest update from the federal agency, as of Tuesday, September 24, COVID-19 activity in New Brunswick is high according to the 10 sites that submit samples and which represent approximately 40% of the province’s population.

Eight sites have a high level of viral activity, Campbellton is classified as moderateand there is no data for St Stephen whose last sample was taken on August 11.

Across Canada, COVID activity is moderate according to the dashboard.

With information from Bobbi-Jean MacKinnonof CBC