MINNEAPOLIS — Pandemic activity remains low in Minnesota, but a concerning BA.2 subvariant of the coronavirus is now the dominant source of COVID-19 in the state.
Sampling at the Metropolitan Wastewater Treatment Plant in St. Paul over the past week found that BA.2 made up 72% of the viral load in Twin Cities sewage. The total viral load increased 53%, but it remains at far lower levels than earlier this winter during the delta and omicron COVID-19 waves.
Friday's updated wastewater data revealed the rising presence of a strain responsible for surges in COVID-19 activity in Europe last month. The positivity rate of COVID-19 testing dropped from 23.4% in mid-January to 2.7% last month in Minnesota, but it nudged to 2.9% in the week ending March 24 when BA.2 became predominant.
