Dakwakada/Haines Junction
COVID-19 Wastewater Surveillance

Wastewater surveillance is an important tool to help show if COVID-19 is increasing or decreasing in our community. It is a quick and cost-effective way to detect outbreaks and surges early, and to monitor for variants of concern.

 

Please see the latest short-term and long-term data trend graphs below,

current to January 17, 2024.  Updated based on local lab results.

Increasing – means there is a statistically confirmed daily increase in wastewater viral load. This is when we can consider taking personal and community action to avoid further spread.

Warning/Caution – means there is a daily increase in wastewater viral load, but it is not statistically confirmed as a trend over time (increase of at least 10% per day), so we should watch and wait to see if the increase continues.

No change – means there is no change in wastewater viral load.

Decreasing – A statistically confirmed daily decrease in wastewater viral load. This is what we want to see!

Please note that minimum data points (testing dates) for any trend is 3.

Key Information

These are the latest testing results and trends published by the Public Health Agency of Canada, and residents and the public can check them any time.

Champagne and Aishihik First Nations (CAFN) and the Village of Haines Junction (VHJ) have partnered to set up the wastewater surveillance program as a pilot with the full support and expertise of the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC).

Wastewater testing can provide an early warning system to alert us of changes up to a week in advance of other testing methods. It is a rapid and cost-effective approach for early detection of outbreaks and surges.

People who are infected with COVID-19 can shed the virus in their stool, even if they don’t have symptoms.

By measuring and sequencing the virus found in sewage, we can learn if cases are rising and which variants are circulating in our community.

Wastewater surveillance can also be used to track other health threats. We are currently screening for COVID-19, influenza and RSV, and can screen for Monkeypox and other health concerns in the future if needed.

We are learning how to better understand and interpret wastewater data changes, so when we see increases or new variants, we can translate that information into appropriate action.

People can use wastewater trend data to make decisions about their personal health when going out and interacting in the community.

Want to Learn More?

PHAC is working with other federal, provincial, territorial and local governments across Canada as part of a wastewater surveillance network that can monitor the spread of COVID-19 to inform public health action and decisions.

National Wastewater dashboard

This dashboard provides trend data about the levels of COVID-19 in the wastewater (sewage) of different communities and settings across Canada. This can reflect the levels of COVID-19 in those communities. Data may lag slightly, due to the time it takes to transport and analyze the samples.