Coronavirus Qld: Acting CHO’s concern at positive wastewater tests
The state’s Acting Chief Health Officer says the repeat detection of coronavirus in some catchments is “becoming more concerning”.
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COVID-19 viral fragments continue to be detected in sewage samples in Queensland, with positive results in 16 wastewater catchments during the past fortnight.
In the latest analysis, fragments of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, were detected in wastewater at Coombabah, on the Gold Coast, Cleveland in Redland City and Carole Park in Ipswich.
Queensland’s Acting Chief Health Officer Sonya Bennett said the repeat detection of the pandemic virus in some catchments was “becoming more concerning”.
“Cleveland and Carole Park are of particular concern as we have no hotel quarantine locations that feed into these sewage systems,” Dr Bennett said.
“That means there could potentially be an undetected case in the community.
“That is why we are urging anyone with any symptoms, no matter how mild, to come forward and get tested.
“This is especially important now more than ever, as we know the new variants emerging overseas are more contagious than previous variants we have seen in Queensland.”
Dr Bennett said other sewage catchments, which have recorded multiple detections of SARS-CoV-2 in recent weeks, included Pulgul in Hervey Bay, Gibson Island at South Brisbane, Cairns North, Maryborough and Loganholme.
“While some of these catchments are in areas where cases have been detected among international arrivals, it is very important that everyone monitors their health, and comes forward for testing if they have any symptoms at all,” Dr Bennett said.
She said while the positive sewage results could relate to undetected cases of the virus in the community, it was also possible the detections related to previous COVID-19 cases who continued to shed viral fragments even after they were no longer infectious.
COVID-19 symptoms include a fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, fatigue, diarrhoea, nausea or vomiting, and loss of taste or smell.
For information about Queensland’s COVID-19 testing clinics: health.qld.gov.au
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