News Briefs: Wastewater Testing Plays Key Role in Tracking Omicron Variant

Wastewater sampling and testing is playing a crucial role in tracking the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, as laboratory researchers are able to detect the mutation’s characteristics. This week, the variant was detected in a number of U.S. cities via wastewater testing, including Houston, Texas; Merced and Sacramento, California; Boulder, Colorado; and others.The methods used to detect the Omicron variant are sensitive enough to detect even one or two cases per 100,000 people. Honolulu Board of Water Supply Shuts Down Largest Water SourceThe Board of Water Supply shut down its largest water source — the Halawa Shaft — on Oahu,