Nicole Hancock
Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony ...

Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.

Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony to heal Chedoke Creek

viral loads

Wastewater studies in three Sask. cities show COVID-19 levels continue to rise

Wastewater studies in three Sask. cities show COVID-19 levels continue to rise

COVID-19 viral loads are rising once again in the wastewater of several Saskatchewan cities, the most recent data from the University of Saskatchewan shows. Since the summer of 2020, a group of researchers from the U of S have analyzed wastewater samples from Saskatoon, North Battleford and Prince Albert in search of traces of the COVID-19 virus. Prince Albert data from the latest reporting period, which goes up to Sept. 12, showed a 66.2 per cent week-over-week increase in SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA load in the city's wastewater.

COVID-19 viral loads in major Sask. cities' wastewater at highest levels in months

COVID-19 viral loads in major Sask. cities' wastewater at highest levels in months

The COVID-19 viral loads in some of Saskatchewan's major cities are the highest they've been in months, according to the latest weekly report from University of Saskatchewan researchers. Researchers with the university's Global Water Futures program have been analyzing wastewater samples from Saskatoon, North Battleford and Prince Albert for COVID-19 since summer 2020. The study's results can help predict a rise or fall of COVID-19 diagnoses about a week in advance. In an email on Sunday, the team's lead researcher John Giesy said the viral load has "increased significantly" in all three cities, continuing a 10-week trend of upticks.

Wastewater analysis shows spike in Saskatoon's coronavirus load, drop in other Sask. cities

Wastewater analysis shows spike in Saskatoon's coronavirus load, drop in other Sask. cities

COVID-19 levels in the wastewater of some Saskatchewan cities are plateauing or even dropping, but the level is spiking in Saskatoon, according to the latest study. The Global Institute for Water Security at the University of Saskatchewan tests the wastewater in Saskatoon, North Battleford and Prince Albert each week to determine how much COVID-19 is circulating in those centres.

Wastewater study indicates COVID-19 levels remain relatively low in Saskatchewan

Wastewater study indicates COVID-19 levels remain relatively low in Saskatchewan

The latest wastewater study from the University of Saskatchewan shows COVID-19 viral loads are lingering at lower levels in Saskatchewan's larger communities. The Global Institute for Water Security has been regularly testing wastewater samples in Saskatoon, Prince Albert and North Battleford. Omicron BA.2 remains the dominant subvariant in all three cities.

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