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What OU Health Is Identifying In Wastewater Samples As Battle Against COVID-19 Continues

Jan 13, 2022

https://www.newson6.com/story/61df3bfa2458a50c055ef12a/what-ou-health-is-identifying-in-wastewater-samples-as-battle-against-covid19-continues

OKLAHOMA CITY -

Doctors at OU Health said the Omicron variant is the dominant variant in their recent wastewater samples.

Oklahoma detected its first Omicron variant case during Christmas week. Since then, wastewater samples with Omicron took off, according to OU Health director of waste study Dr. Jason Vogel.

“It started to increase sooner in Oklahoma City, and it got up to 50 or 60 percent about a week after that around Christmas,” Dr. Vogel said. “Tulsa lagged for the increase for about a week.”

Vogel said researchers continued to test during the holiday season. The state has seen record-high COVID-19 cases to start 2022. Researchers said they're now seeing extremely high levels of Omicron in wastewater.