State officials want to continue COVID-19 wastewater testing

State officials want to use another round of federal stimulus money to continue testing wastewater for variants of COVID-19 in North Dakota. The coronavirus wastewater testing began last July and would end in June if funding isn’t continued. Twenty-one communities – including Grand Forks – are participating in the testing statewide. Wastewater from those cities is analyzed at a North Dakota State University lab where researchers look for the virus contained in the fecal matter of people who are infected. State officials say the analysis is helpful in pinpointing communities that might need more regular virus testing, given that far fewer people are opting for tests now than at the height of the pandemic.