ESCANABA — After gradually falling for most of October, the amount of detectable DNA from the virus responsible for COVID-19 in Escanaba’s sewers spiked late last month, but the number of daily cases seen by healthcare professionals has continued to fall.

According to the Sentinel Wastewater Epidemiology Evaluation Project (SWEEP), the last sample from the Escanaba Wastewater Treatment Plant, dated Oct. 23, contained more viral DNA than 60 percent of all samples collected at the site since the city began participating in the program in August of 2021. The sample comes following a steady decline that began on Oct. 14, when a sample contained more DNA than 16% of all samples collected, and continued through Oct. 21, when a sample contained more viral DNA than 9% of all samples.

Since the advent of at-home testing, case data reported by health officials has become less reliable, as most confirmed cases are never reported to officials. However, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has continued to report the number of new cases identified in healthcare settings. Those cases may be ­identified during routine testing — such as prior to scheduled surgeries — or discovered by patients seeking care for COVID-19 symptoms.

According to MDHHS, the number of new cases in Delta County has been falling consistently since the week of Oct. 19, when 16 cases were reported. For the week of Nov. 2, only four new cases were identified.

For the entirety of the Upper Peninsula, the number of cases reported by MDHHS for the week of Nov. 2 is as follows:

Gogebic – 2

Ontonagon – 0

Houghton – 10

Keweenaw – 0

Iron – 4

Baraga – 0

Dickinson – 9

Marquette – 11

Menominee – 2

Delta – 4

Alger – 0

Schoolcraft – 0

Luce – 2

Mackinac – 1

Chippewa – 9