Fears for regional NSW as Covid-9 fragments found in sewerage

Police are urging people in regional NSW to stay vigilant, after high levels of virus fragments were detected in sewerage major centres such as Armidale, Coffs Harbour, Dubbo, and Mudgee.

NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Mick Willing provides an COVID-19 update. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard.

There are growing fears that Covid-19 may spread further into regional NSW, and now police are cracking down on public health orders in an effort to protect residents’ health and safety.

Officers from police districts across the state are conducting high-visibility operations to ensure compliance and respond to reports of breaches.

Deputy Commissioner Mick Willing said policing operations will be bolstered as required to protect regional and remote communities.

“The communities of regional NSW have been doing a great job to keep the virus out of their areas, and we need to keep up that good work; now is not the time for complacency,” he said.

“It’s more important than ever that we fully comply with the Public Health Orders – and report breaches, especially relating to visitors from any of the areas subject to stay-at-home orders.

“In recent days, NSW Health identified high levels of virus fragments were detected in sewerage in a number of major regional centres, including Armidale, Coffs Harbour, Dubbo, and Mudgee.

“These alerts are of concern, as we know in Armidale, positive cases have since been confirmed.”

Various restrictions remain in place, and Deputy Commissioner Willing said it was important to keep doing the right thing.

He said the Delta variant posed a “significant risk“ to the state’s most vulnerable communities/

“We cannot allow it to spread any further into the regions or our remote areas,” he said.

“It only takes one person doing the wrong thing to spread the virus – and it’s encouraging for police to continue to have the community’s support through the reporting of this type of selfish behaviour.

“I implore all regional communities to do what they do best in difficult circumstances – band together and support each other.

“The key to stopping the spread of the virus and saving lives is working together.”