SCAN Update - 9/18/24

This blog post describes data collected at 8 wastewater treatment plants in the Greater Bay Area of San Francisco, CA, including Sacramento, that are partners in the SCAN project which began in late 2020. The SCAN plants are a subset of the WastewaterSCAN plants.

Map of 8 SCAN sites located in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area, CA

‌All samples picked up by the couriers as of 9/17/24 have been processed and their data are on the site: data.wastewaterscan.org. Please email Amanda at albidwel@stanford.edu if you identify any bugs on the site. ‌

For site level summaries of the SCAN plants with current Wastewater Categories and concentration plots, see the following links:

COVID-19

SARS-CoV-2 concentration in wastewater and sequencing for variants

SARS-CoV-2 N gene concentrations are between 11,390 - 1,043,000 copies/g over the last 3 weeks. Below are the current SARS-CoV-2 wastewater categories for the SCAN sites (recall the category is determined by both the trend and the level):

  • Gilroy, San Jose, SVCW, and Sunnyvale are in the LOW Wastewater Category for SARS-CoV-2
  • Palo Alto, Sacramento, Oceanside SF, and Southeast SF are in the MEDIUM Wastewater Category for SARS-CoV-2

Below are all the data from all the SCAN plants for the last two years. You can access the graph here. The population weighted average across the SCAN plants is shown in black. The population weighted average still shows elevated concentrations compared to this time last year, but is coming down from the peak observed in July/August 2024.

Below are plots from Oceanside SF, Sacramento, San Jose, and Southeast SF showing the relative proportions of different variants inferred from sequencing the entire genome of SARS-CoV-2. White and grey striped bars indicate no data is currently available for that week. In the most recent samples, we are continuing to see greater portions of KP.2 (slate blue), and KP.3 (light blue). Note that the sequencing data are always from samples taken between 1-2 weeks ago (in this case, Sept 7, 2024).

Other Respiratory Targets

Influenza A & B, RSV, HMPV, EV-D68 and Parainfluenza

Influenza A (IAV) RNA: Below are all the IAV data from all the SCAN plants for the last two years. You can access the graph here. The population weighted average across the SCAN plants is shown in black.

Below are the current IAV wastewater categories for the SCAN sites (recall the category is determined by both the trend and the level):

  • Gilroy, Oceanside SF, Sacramento, Southeast SF, Sunnyvale, and SVCW are in the LOW Wastewater Category due to no longer being in seasonal onset for IAV
  • San Jose is in seasonal onset and in the LOW Wastewater Category for IAV
  • Palo Alto is in the MEDIUM Wastewater Category for IAV

4 sites in the SCAN network (Oceanside SF, San Jose, Southeast SF, and Sunnyvale) have tested positive for the H1 marker in influenza A since we began testing for the marker prospectively in mid July 2024.

3 sites in the SCAN network (Oceanside SF, Southeast SF, and San Jose) have tested positive for the H3 marker in influenza A since we began testing for the marker prospectively in mid July 2024.

2 sites in the SCAN network (Palo Alto and Southeast SF) have tested positive for the H5 marker in influenza A since we began testing for the marker prospectively in May 2024.


Influenza B (IBV) RNA has rarely been detected in samples collected from SCAN sites in the last 3 weeks. In the chart below (representing data from the past 1 year), the population weighted average across the SCAN plants is shown in black. You can access the graph here.

Below are the current IBV wastewater categories for the SCAN sites (recall the category is determined by both the trend and the level):

  • Gilroy, Oceanside SF, Palo Alto, Sacramento, San Jose, Southeast SF, SVCW and Sunnyvale are in the LOW Wastewater Category due to no longer being in seasonal onset for IBV

RSV RNA has sporadically been detected in samples collected from SCAN sites in the last 3 weeks. In the chart below (representing data from the past 2 years), the population weighted average line across all the SCAN sites is shown in black, and you can see the current concentrations relative to the peak RSV levels from late last year. The link to the chart below is here if you would like to interact with it.

Below are the current RSV wastewater categories for the SCAN sites (recall the category is determined by both the trend and the level):

  • Gilroy, Oceanside SF, Palo Alto, Sacramento, San Jose, Southeast SF, Sunnyvale, and SVCW are in the LOW Wastewater Category due to no longer being in in seasonal onset for RSV

HMPV (Human metapneumovirus) RNA has rarely been detected in samples collected from SCAN sites in the last 3 weeks. Below are the current wastewater categories for the SCAN sites (recall the category is determined by both the trend and the level):

  • Gilroy, Oceanside SF, Palo Alto, Sacramento, San Jose, Southeast SF, Sunnyvale, and SVCW are in the LOW Wastewater Category due to no longer being in seasonal onset for HMPV

In the chart below, the population weighted average line across all the SCAN plants is shown in black (link here to this chart if you want to interact with it) since December 2022. Evident in the chart are the very low HMPV concentrations across all SCAN sites.


EV-D68 RNA was detected at all SCAN sites from samples collected in the last 3 weeks. Below are the current wastewater categories for the SCAN sites (the category is determined by the frequency of detection):

  • Gilroy, Oceanside SF, Palo Alto, Sacramento, San Jose, Southeast SF, SVCW and Sunnyvale are in the MEDIUM Wastewater Category for EV-D68

In the chart below, the population weighted average line across all the SCAN plants is shown in black over the last 12 months. Evident in the chart are increasing EV-D68 concentrations since early August 2024. This mirrors what were are seeing across the national WWSCAN sites.


Parainfluenza RNA- As a reminder we are temporarily pausing Parainfluenza RNA measurements while we run the H5 specific influenza assay. Below is the population weighted average across SCAN sites is shown in black with data through May 19, 2024. You can access the chart here.‌

Gastrointestinal Targets

Norovirus GII and Rotavirus

Norovirus GII RNA was commonly detected at all SCAN sites, which is what we are observing across the national WWSCAN sites as well. In the chart below, the population weighted average line across all the SCAN plants is shown in black. Norovirus concentrations remain elevated across all SCAN sites and are still higher than they were this time last year.

Below are the current Norovirus wastewater categories for the SCAN sites (recall the category is determined by both the trend and the level):

  • Gilroy, Oceanside SF, and Sunnyvale are in the LOW Wastewater Category for Norovirus
  • Palo Alto, Sacramento, San Jose, and SVCW are in the MEDIUM Wastewater Category for Norovirus
  • Southeast SF are in the HIGH Wastewater Category for Norovirus

The plot below shows the Norovirus concentrations at the SCAN sites since we began monitoring in late 2022. The population weighted average line is shown in black. You can interact with the chart of all the plants at this link.


Rotavirus RNA concentrations are shown in the chart below (all the SCAN plants are shown together) since mid Oct 2023. The population weighted average line is shown in black. You can interact with the chart of all the plants here.‌

Below are the current wastewater categories for the SCAN sites (recall the category is determined by both the trend and the level):

  • Gilroy, Palo Alto, Sacramento, San Jose, SVCW and Sunnyvale are in the LOW Wastewater Category for Rotavirus
  • Oceanside SF and Southeast SF are in the MEDIUM Wastewater Category for Rotavirus

Other Pathogens of Concern

Mpox clade II, Candida auris, and Hepatitis A

Mpox clade II DNA has not been detected at anySCAN sites in the last 3 weeks. Currently all SCAN sites are in the 'LOW' category for Mpox clade II.

The heat map below shows all the SCAN sites as a row, and each date as a column since July 2022. The color blue means that Mpox clade II DNA was not detected in the sample, and the dark red color means it was detected. White indicates no sample was collected. The chart shows all the data we have collected. You can access the chart here.


Candida auris DNA was detected at six of the SCAN sites in the last 3 weeks (Gilroy, Oceanside SF, Palo Alto, SVCW, San Jose and Sunnyvale).

  • Gilroy, Oceanside SF, Palo Alto, Sacramento, San Jose, Southeast SF, SVCW and Sunnyvale are in the LOW Wastewater Category for C. auris

The heat map below shows all the SCAN sites as a row, and each date as a column for all data collected since monitoring began in July 2023. The color blue means that Candida auris DNA was not detected in the sample, and the dark red color means it was detected. White indicates no sample was collected. You can access the chart here.


Hepatitis A RNA was detected at six of the SCAN sites in the last 3 weeks (Oceanside SF, Palo Alto, San Jose, Southeast SF, SVCW and Sunnyvale). Below are the current wastewater categories for the SCAN sites (the category is determined by the frequency of detection):

  • Gilroy, Oceanside SF, Sacramento, Southeast SF, SVCW, and Sunnyvale are in the LOW Wastewater Category for Hepatitis A
  • Palo Alto, and San Jose are in the MEDIUM Wastewater Category for Hepatitis A

The heat map below shows all the SCAN sites as a row, and each date as a column for all data collected since monitoring began in July 2023. The color blue means that Hepatitis A RNA was not detected in the sample, and the dark purple color means it was detected. White indicates no sample was collected. You can access the chart here.‌

Join us at the next WWSCAN Partner call on October 11, 2024

Please email Amanda Bidwell (albidwel@stanford.edu) if you do not have the calendar invite for the WWSCAN partner call.

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