A rare COVID-19 strain disappeared overnight. We still don't know which Ohioan had it

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Scientists were searching for a central Ohio resident with a mysterious strain of COVID-19. Before they could find them, it vanished. 

Molecular virologist Marc Johnson, a professor at the University of Missouri’s medical school, examines wastewater samples to track COVID-19 strains and prevalence. In his work, he noticed different strains of COVID, including mysterious variants he dubbed “cryptics.” 

One of these cryptics was traced to central Ohio. Johnson said he believed just one resident, who regularly traveled between Columbus and Washington Court House, carried the cryptic strain for at least two years. In June 2023, Johnson spoke with NBC4 and implored the rare COVID carrier to come forward and help scientists understand the strain. That same month, the strain vanished and has not returned. 

Last December, Johnson included the Ohio sample in his research summary about cryptic strains, which may soon be published. According to the study, Johnson and his colleagues traced 18 rare cryptic strains using wastewater treatment data. Ohio publishes its wastewater treatment statistics and tracks flu, RSV and COVID levels in the sewage.

Johnson and his colleagues found the central Ohio strain mutated over a nine-month period and indicated incredibly high levels of COVID, increasing as the infection presumably grew. Johnson said the highest levels of COVID in Washington Court House's wastewater all year came from this strain.

The research determined the rare strain likely manifested in the gastrointestinal track. Johnson estimated on social media in June 2023 that around 3.5 square feet of the person's intestines were infected. Johnson said via social media that it was highly unlikely the person and their doctor knew about the infection, but it was likely causing long-term damage. At the time, he was unaware of any other infections that would shed that much of the virus without killing its host.

What Johnson and his colleagues do not know is who the central Ohio patient is, what symptoms they had, or what ultimately happened to them.

“I doubt it ended well for the person, but we will probably never know,” Johnson said.

Johnson does know some things about the Ohioan and the strain, which he did not believe to be contagious. Johnson said the strain was most commonly found in the southern Columbus wastewater. Columbus operates two wastewater treatment plants that serve Columbus and 25 suburbs between them. According to state data, the southern Columbus plant serves south and east Columbus, and the more northern plant covers Downtown and northeast Columbus.

Johnson said the strain appeared a few times in the northern Columbus area around the holidays. The person with the rare COVID strain most likely lived in the Columbus area and commuted to Washington Court House for work or some other reason that required frequent trips.

Wastewater infection disease trends are updated Mondays and Thursdays, and the study shows the final trace of the rare COVID strain appeared in a June 4, 2023, sample. NBC4 compared obituaries from the first half of June 2023 to see if anyone could be a fit for the mysterious COVID strain. Fewer than 10 people could not be ruled out based on address or occupation. However, no one person stood out as a clear fit.

Without making contact with the person, Johnson said everything is speculative and derived from publicly available information. His research offers insight into long-term COVID infections and how they can manifest, but without connecting with patients, there is only so much that can be uncovered. If you or a loved one could fit this description, reach out to a cryptic lineage lab to help others and access medical treatment.