COVID-19 Omicron variant may have been found in Mississauga and Brampton’s wastewater

Peel Public Health (PPH) is currently investigating the possibility of the new Omicron variant being detected in Mississauga and Brampton’s wastewater.

With Omicron recently being identified as a variant of concern, researchers have begun testing Peel wastewater for a mutation found in Omicron and other non-Delta variants.

“Samples taken from GE Booth Wastewater Treatment Plant on December 1st and 3rd, 2021 tested positive for this mutation, indicating potential detection of Omicron in Peel wastewater,” says a recent PPH report.

Confirmation is still pending at this time.

Since Spring 2020, PPH and University of Waterloo researchers have been monitoring SARS-CoV-2 levels (including variants of concern) in untreated wastewater from the GE Booth and Clarkson wastewater treatment facilities in Mississauga.

“Wastewater signals have correlated with trends in Alpha and Delta infections in Peel,” according to the report.

As of Thursday, Dec. 9, there are seven confirmed cases of the Omicron variant in Peel Region.

The first case of the variant was first detected in Peel on Dec. 4 and was confirmed to be in a Brampton resident who had close contact with a travel-related case identified in Halton.