Gold Coast residents urged to get tested as Chief Health Officer concerned some Queenslanders have COVID
COVID testing clinics on the Gold Coast have been inundated as hundreds rush to get tested in the wake of the Sydney outbreak. More than 300 people are in the Gold Coast University Hospital line.
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GOLD Coasters have rushed to get tested for COVID-19 this morning, for the third day in a row, with long queues reported at the hospital and an Upper Coomera clinic.
Huge line-ups were witnessed at testing clinics at the Gold Coast University Hospital and an Upper Coomera clinic.
It comes after Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young raised concerned there could be mystery cases of COVID-19 across Queensland with virus fragments detected in sewage in Cairns, Townsville, Cleveland and the Gold Coast.
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Dr Young said she was concerned there were people across Queensland who were active COVID-19 cases, and urged anyone with symptoms to get tested and isolate until they have a result.
Haan Health’s respiratory clinic has four doctors testing for COVID-19 as the Gold Coast remains on heightened alert following NSW’s recent outbreak.
Queues of people gathered outside the Upper Coomera clinic when it opened this morning and phones have been ringing off the hook.
Up until last week the clinic was testing about six people a day, so far today 60 people have presented for testing.
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Masks are again compulsory for patients attending medical appointments.
New South Wales this morning recorded 15 new locally-acquired cases with more than 38,000 tested in the past day.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk this morning announced there were zero new locally acquired cases, with one new case, acquired overseas, and detected in hotel quarantine.
Queensland currently has 10 active cases.
EARLIER
TRACES of COVID-19 have been detected in sewage at a second Gold Coast treatment plant.
Samples taken on December 14 from the Elanora Wastewater Treatment Plant tested positive for coronavirus according to Gold Coast Health.
In a Facebook post Gold Coast Health said the tested were sensitive and often detected traces of COVID after people had been cleared of the deadly disease.
Residents on Saturday rushed to get tested following the discovery of COVID-19 at the treatment plant in Coombabah.
There was a two hour wait at the Gold Coast University Hospital testing clinic.
Staff were handing out water bottles along with masks as the queue stretched further into the afternoon sun.
Robina’s Simon Lee said he was getting tested because he was concerned about the positive result for COVID-19 in the city’s sewerage system.
“I am worried, but I think if we do the right thing, we should be fine,” he said.
The parents of two young children told the Bulletin they had been waiting in line to get tested for the past two hours.
They said: “We arrived back from New South Wales yesterday, so we needed to get tested and isolate. We are quite worried about what’s happening down south.”
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Queensland Health in a statement said the sample was taken on November 2 as part of a joint Queensland Health, University of Queensland and CSIRO pilot research program to test for traces of coronavirus.
“It is an important reminder that Queenslanders should not be complacent and need to keep in place good hygiene practises,” the statement said.
“Maintain social distancing and get tested when sick. If you are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19, please get tested.
“This does not impact drinking water in any way.”
It comes after NSW recorded 30 new cases overnight as the Northern Beaches COVID cluster grows.
Those in the Northern Beaches local government area have been put into March-level lockdown – only allowed to leave their homes for four key reasons including compassionate grounds and grocery shopping.
The tough lockdown started from 5pm on Saturday until at least midnight Wednesday.
Ms Berejiklian said she expected the cases to continue to increase and urged wider Sydney to ‘abandon non-essential activities’.
Originally published as Gold Coast residents urged to get tested as Chief Health Officer concerned some Queenslanders have COVID
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