CDC Expanded Wastewater Surveillance for Novel Pathogens
The national program will now use metagenomic testing to detect emerging viruses before they appear in clinics.
Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in COVID-19
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has renewed its contract with Verily Health to upgrade the National Wastewater Surveillance System. This partnership enables broader tracking of respiratory viruses and antimicrobial resistance across the United States.
Why it matters
By analyzing total genetic material in wastewater, this surveillance expansion aims to identify novel and emerging pathogens before they cause clinical outbreaks. This proactive approach helps public health officials monitor threats in real time without needing targeted testing for every specific virus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded Verily Health a multi-year contract to enhance pathogen detection through the National Wastewater Surveillance System. This upgrade utilizes metagenomic testing to analyze total genetic material, with specific performance metrics pending future reporting.
The players
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The national public health agency responsible for protecting Americans from health and safety threats through disease tracking and prevention.
Verily Health
A life sciences company focused on applying data science and technology to health outcomes, diagnostics, and large-scale epidemiology.
The details
Verily Sightline manages this surveillance by integrating sample intake from wastewater treatment facilities with cloud-based data pipelines. Metagenomic testing allows the system to analyze all genetic material in a sample simultaneously, removing the requirement for targeted primers. The program tracks SARS-CoV-2, Influenza A/B, Respiratory Syncytial Virus, and antimicrobial resistance markers, while also performing surge testing for H5N1 avian influenza.
Timeline
2023: The partnership between Verily Health and the CDC officially began.
October 14, 2026: The multi-year contract renewal was publicly announced.
Health Landscape
This development represents an evolution of the National Wastewater Surveillance System from simple pathogen tracking to comprehensive metagenomic screening. It reflects a broader shift toward using environmental monitoring to preemptively identify respiratory threats at a population level.
This program operates at the population level to provide early warnings about circulating respiratory viruses in your community. You do not need to take any individual action, but you can consult your primary care physician to discuss local virus circulation if you are at high risk.
The takeaway
Wastewater surveillance acts as an early-warning system for public health threats, providing insights into viral circulation before individual cases spike. Keep an eye on local public health announcements to stay informed about circulating respiratory trends in your area.
Further reading
Learn more about local tracking efforts in our COVID-19 section.
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Do you trust national wastewater surveillance systems to effectively detect and prevent future disease outbreaks?
