DC Council questions COVID-data reporting delay

A number of D.C. Council members are probing DC Well being on why the company didn’t submit COVID-19 information to the CDC for 2 weeks.

Why it issues: DC Well being has but to offer any detailed reason there was a lapse in information reporting. The company has stated its key metrics, that are speculated to be posted weekly displaying case charges and hospital capability, can be found to assist residents make one of the best private threat assessments.

• However that disruption left D.C. residents “and not using a means by which to meaningfully assess their threat,” in keeping with a letter despatched to the company by a number of council members final Thursday.
• The letter additionally says DC Well being hasn’t up to date its information on the place outbreaks are occurring.

What they’re saying: The council members ask DC Well being to make sure all information is on the market on its web site at 4pm every week, restore outbreak information, and launch an investigation into why the disruption occurred.

• DC Well being and the D.C. Council are anticipated to renew weekly COVID calls subsequent Friday.

Of be aware: The letter additionally asks DC Well being to offer an in depth plan on its wastewater surveillance program.

Particulars: DC Well being has been working for a number of months on beginning a program to watch the extent of COVID in D.C.’s wastewater, beforehand telling Axios it deliberate to get this system up and working in April — which it has not executed.

• On the finish of final month, DC Well being advised Axios it was nonetheless engaged on establishing this system.

In Thursday’s letter, the council members wrote that D.C. allowed a contract “with a non-public firm to conduct wastewater surveillance to lapse and not using a plan.”

Sure, however: An individual with data of the wastewater surveillance program, who just isn’t licensed to talk publicly, tells Axios that it was really the CDC that ended its contract with a non-public firm and is now contracting with one other firm known as Biobot Analytics to deal with its Nationwide Wastewater Surveillance System.

• D.C’s Blue Plains plant is a part of this nationwide system, and wastewater surveillance information on the CDC’s web site, together with for D.C. and New York, was listed as unavailable final week.

What they’re saying: Newsha Ghaeli, the president and co-founder of Biobot Analytics, tells Axios the CDC started a contract with the corporate on April 15 and there was an preliminary ramp-up interval to onboard taking part amenities and start sampling wastewater.

• Ghaeli says that the corporate will ship information on to the CDC.

Of be aware: Biobot additionally operates its personal dashboard of counties throughout the U.S. taking part within the firm’s personal surveillance program. Neither D.C. nor Maryland is listed, however counties in northern Virginia are.

• Arlington, Alexandria Metropolis, and Loudoun County all noticed a rise in COVID of their wastewater on the finish of March; Arlington County’s ranges started to drop in mid-Could.

Neither DC Well being nor the CDC responded to Axios’ questions concerning the wastewater contract, and DC Well being has not provided reporters any clarification on the general information lapse.