COVID-19: Palm Springs wastewater samples reveal omicron subvariant BA.5 is dominant strain circulating

Ema Sasic, Palm Springs Desert Sun
·4 min read
A youngster receives the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at a pediatric vaccine clinic for children ages 5 to 11 set up at Willard Intermediate School in Santa Ana, Calif., Nov. 9, 2021.

Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 have led to spikes in COVID-19 cases throughout the country, and Palm Springs' wastewater samples suggest the latter is the dominant subvariant circulating in the community.

On July 4, BA.5 was present in 76.4% of samples collected, BA.4 in 7% of samples and BA.2.12.1 in 5.7%. The presence of BA.5, BA.4 and BA.2.12.1 was detected in 78.5%, 5.9% and 16.3%, respectively, of samples collected on July 5.

The average number of viral copies per liter recorded at the city's wastewater treatment plant also has increased. The average of 834,210 copies per liter from the previous week’s average jumped significantly to an average of 1,433,093 copies per liter for July 4 and 5.

In the east valley, there were 510,118 copies per liter of effective virus concentration detected in the sample collected on July 5 by the Valley Sanitary District. That's more than double the 247,996 copies per liter on June 23.

BA.4 and BA.5 sublineages were first identified in South Africa earlier this year, according to the California Department of Public Health. The state reports these sublineages are 10% more transmissible than omicron subvariant BA.2 and can partially evade immunity from vaccination or previous infection (including prior omicron infection). Though cases from the two sublineages have risen, California public health states there is currently no evidence of increased disease severity.

The subvariants' spread aligns with the recent influx in local cases.

The nine Coachella Valley cities added another 592 new COVID-19 cases between Friday and Wednesday.

Here is a full breakdown of confirmed total cases, deaths and recoveries by city since the start of the pandemic (with weekly changes shown in parentheses):

  • Cathedral City: 13,211 confirmed cases (+76); 150 deaths (+0); 12,887 recoveries (+55)

  • Coachella: 13,544 confirmed cases (+66); 121 deaths (+0); 13,306 recoveries (+52)

  • Desert Hot Springs: 8,152 confirmed cases (+49); 98 deaths (+0); 7,974 recoveries (+25)

  • Indian Wells: 662 confirmed cases (+3); 8 deaths (+0); 649 recoveries (+4)

  • Indio: 23,940 confirmed cases (+141); 283 deaths (+0); 23,371 recoveries (+100)

  • La Quinta: 8,738 confirmed cases (+72); 85 deaths (+0); 8,514 recoveries (+41)

  • Palm Desert: 10,212 confirmed cases (+83); 148 deaths (+0); 9,922 recoveries (+53)

  • Palm Springs: 8,621 confirmed cases (+65); 158 deaths (+0); 8,331 recoveries (+49)

  • Rancho Mirage: 3,000 confirmed cases (+37); 57 deaths (+0); 2,884 recoveries (+28)

There were also 76 COVID-19 cases reported in unincorporated communities since Friday:

  • Bermuda Dunes: 1,616 confirmed cases (+9); 12 deaths (+0); 1,585 recoveries (+9)

  • Desert Edge: 679 confirmed cases (+5); 21 deaths (+0); 650 recoveries (+5)

  • Desert Palms: 768 confirmed cases (+14); 34 deaths (+0); 721 recoveries (+10)

  • Garnet: 1,559 confirmed cases (+3); 22 deaths (+0); 1,530 recoveries (+7)

  • Mecca: 1,953 confirmed cases (+18); 23 deaths (+0); 1,900 recoveries (+8)

  • North Shore: 733 confirmed cases (+11); 1 deaths (+0); 719 recoveries (+2)

  • Oasis: 1,611 confirmed cases (+5); 9 deaths (+0); 1,591 recoveries (+5)

  • Sky Valley: 471 confirmed cases (+0); 7 deaths (+0); 460 recoveries (+3)

  • Thermal: 795 confirmed cases (+1); 10 deaths (+0); 781 recoveries (+0)

  • Thousand Palms: 1,961 confirmed cases (+7); 12 deaths (+0); 1,935 recoveries (+5)

  • Vista Santa Rosa: 609 confirmed cases (+3); 5 deaths (+0); 601 recoveries (+2)

Riverside County added another 1,910 new COVID-19 cases since Monday.

The latest data for variant sequencing in Riverside County show there were 29 cases of BA.5, two cases of BA.4 and 18 cases of BA.2 detected for the week ending July 2. For the month of June in California, as of July 6, the BA.2.12.1 sublineage made up 53.5% of confirmed omicron cases sequenced, and BA.4 and BA.5 sublineages made up 9.3% and 19.5%, respectively, according to the California Department of Public Health.

On Wednesday, county hospitalizations hit 236, up by 26 from Monday. That number also includes 13 individuals in intensive care.

One death was reported in Riverside County since Monday, bringing the total to 6,560 since the beginning of the pandemic.

In Riverside County, 59.3% of residents ages 5 and older have completed their primary vaccine series, which includes both shots of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines or one shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. About 29.2% of the population ages 5 and older has been boosted.

Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at ema.sasic@desertsun.com or on Twitter @ema_sasic.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: COVID-19: Palm Springs wastewater samples show omicron subvariant BA.5 is dominant strain