NEWPORT, Ore. - TRACE-COVID-19, the groundbreaking Oregon State University project to determine community prevalence of the novel coronavirus, will return to Newport for two more days of sampling this weekend, July 11-12.
The second round of door-to-door sampling in Newport follows a community prevalence estimate of 3.4% on June 20-21 when the TRACE team first visited Newport. Oregon State brought TRACE, which began in Corvallis and first expanded to Bend, to Newport after the positive tests of more than 120 workers at Pacific Seafood, which operates five processing facilities in the city. In Newport, university researchers are collaborating with Lincoln County Health & Human Services.
TRACE-COVID-19 stands for Team-based Rapid Assessment of Community-Level Coronavirus Epidemics.
"We are very grateful that OSU is able to return to Newport," said Kaety Jacobson, Lincoln County commissioner. "The prevalence data we received from the first weekend of TRACE sampling was extremely valuable in giving us a snapshot of what was going on in our community. The additional data we will get from this coming weekend will let us know if our efforts to curtail the spread of COVID-19 are working, or if additional actions need to be taken."
Sewage samples from three Lincoln County wastewater treatment plants also were collected and then analyzed by Oregon State researchers for genetic evidence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Samples collected in Newport on June 10-12 and June 17-19 showed "a strong signal of SARS-CoV-2," said Tyler Radniecki of the OSU College of Engineering, a principal investigator on the sewage surveillance team.
Sewage samples taken in Yachats and Depoe Bay on June 5-7 and June 10 showed no evidence of the novel coronavirus in those nearby communities.
"The results tell us only what was occurring at the time of sampling, not what is happening today," Radniecki said. "They should not be interpreted as an indication that any of these communities can relax their vigilance. Everyone in each of these communities should be encouraged to wear face coverings, social distance, avoid groups of people and seek medical assistance if warranted."
In Newport on June 20-21, TRACE field teams collected samples from 336 of the households they visited, or 71%, across 30 neighborhoods. In all, the workers received samples from 569 people, and 13 tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.
In Newport, TRACE leaders are partnering with OSU's Hatfield Marine Science Center and the OSU Extension Service. Oregon State's work in Newport complements other sampling, testing and contact tracing assistance being given by health officials from Tillamook and Clatsop counties.
