Uptick of COVID cases attributed to Travis County wastewater

AUSTIN (KXAN) — With the uptick of COVID cases in the Austin area, Austin Public Health said it was making moves to keep children safe during the back-to-school season.

APH said it was giving vaccines to children who might need them, as well as helping to support mobile clinic operations in the area.

The increase in cases can be attributed to Travis County wastewater, where covid has been found over the past 6 weeks.

"We are seeing SARS-CoV-2 present in the wastewater stream,” said Janet Pichette, the chief epidemiologist at Austin Public Health. “As I mentioned, it’s being collected in two of our regional wastewater treatment plants. Those plants represent 95% of the wastewater that comes in for 95% of the Austin population.”

While the COVID-19 national public health emergency has ended, cases continue to persist in Travis County; however, hospitalizations remain low, which experts have attributed to vaccines.

Boosters were encouraged to protect those who are high-risk and updated vaccines for everyone else are expected in the fall, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.