(Submitted photo/Saskatchewan Health Authority)
COVID Levels

North Battleford experiencing highest recorded COVID levels, P.A. second-highest: study

May 2, 2022 | 12:00 PM

Prince Albert and North Battleford are seeing extremely high levels of COVID-19.

That’s according to the University of Saskatchewan which has been studying wastewater in the communities, along with Saskatoon, to determine how prevalent the virus is.

In P.A., levels jumped by 108 per cent over the past week. This after it rose by 112 per cent during the previous week.

The current levels are the second-highest recorded in P.A. since the start of the study. The only time the viral load was bigger was 11 weeks ago, during the initial stage of the Omicron surge.

As for North Battleford, levels increased by another 50 per cent. The current viral load is the largest recorded in the city.

The U of S researchers noted each city may see changes in their active case totals, though it depends on whether people get tested and report their results to the Saskatchewan Health Authority.

Meanwhile, the Omicron-subvariant BA.2 continues to be the dominant strain with 98 per cent of levels in North Battleford and 85 per cent in P.A.

This new strain, which is believed to be more contagious, has been popping up across Canada since the start of the year.

Jaryn.Vecchio@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow

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