Lockdown to be extended, Covid-19 fragments found in Ballina sewage

The Northern Rivers’ lockdown will not end on Tuesday – instead the entire state has been plunged into a seven-day lockdown with tough new rules.

All of NSW is expected to go into a full lockdown on Saturday evening. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Peter Lorimer.

Latest: The entire state of New South Wales was plunged into a seven-day lockdown from 5pm on Saturday.

Regional politicians this afternoon took to their social media accounts on Saturday afternoon to warn residents.

Ballina MP Tamara Smith posted on Facebook: “Just got off a zoom with the Deputy Premier and regional MPs.

“The LNP are announcing a full seven-day lockdown for all of regional NSW from 5pm today.

“We haven’t seen the details yet but as soon as I get, I will update.

“That means for us in Ballina, Byron, Lismore and Richmond Valley that our lockdown will be extended until next Saturday.

“The sewerage traces of Covid in Ballina are a major concern as they are not linked to the current positive cases.

“Please get tested if you have symptoms, follow the health orders and register to get vaxxed ASAP.”

Lockdown rules will now apply to all of regional NSW, not just those LGAs already in lockdown.

Tweed MP Geoff Provest said reasonable excuses to leave your home included shopping for essentials, medical care, caregiving, outdoor exercise with a member of your household or one other person, and work, if you cannot work from home.

“Schooling will be done from home,” he posted on Facebook.

“Thank you everyone for your patience and co-operation.

“This is an important step to try to stop the spread of the virus further into the regions.

“Thank you to everyone in our community who is working together to get on top of the situation.

“Testing numbers have been high in the Northern Rivers and today we saw another day with no new positive cases.

“Please wear your masks, use the QR codes and keep getting tested at the mildest symptoms.”

Deputy Premier John Barilaro confirmed the news on Twitter: “To minimise movement and protect our communities from the evolving Covid situation in Sydney, stay-at-home orders will be introduced for all of Regional NSW from 5pm tonight.”

Initial story: Residents in the Ballina Shire are being asked to monitor for symptoms of Covid-19, after fragments of the virus were found in the sewerage treatment plant.

In an update on Saturday, NSW Health said the fragments were detected as part of the ongoing sewage surveillance program.

Fragments were also found at the Broken Hill plant.

“The Ballina sewage treatment plant serves about 31,100 people and the Broken Hill sewage treatment plant serves about 9,900 people,” the NSW Health update explained.

“These areas are of particular concern, as there are no known cases of Covid-19 in Ballina or Broken Hill.

“Everyone in these areas is urged to monitor for the onset of symptoms, and if they appear, to immediately be tested and isolate until a negative result is received.”

Fragments of the virus that causes Covid-19 were also detected in samples taken from the South Lismore sewage treatment plant on Wednesday, August 11.

Assistant director of the North Coast Public Health Unit, Greg Bell, said this was to be expected, given the plant processes waste from the Lismore Base Hospital.

“We know the Covid-19 positive cases have been cared for at the hospital, which is why we’re now seeing these results detected in the sewage,” Mr Bell said.

“Of course, there may also be other undetected cases of Covid-19 in the community.

“Please keep in mind that, along with keeping to the stay at home orders in place at the moment, the best thing that people can do is to get tested immediately if they feel slightly unwell.”

Additional sewage testing is being done in high risk areas, with the Bangalow, Byron Bay, Mullumbimby and Ocean Shores treatment plans currently being tested twice weekly.

The most recent samples were taken at these sites on August 9 and 10, all returning negative results.

Sewage testing will also commence this week at the Nimbin and Casino sewage treatment plants, while testing continues at other sites throughout Northern NSW as part of the regular program.

“Sewage testing can help provide early warning of undetected infections in an area,” Mr Bell said.

As well as being present in stools, viral fragments can enter the sewer when washed off hands and bodies through sinks and showers.

Usual sewage treatment processes inactivate, or kill, the Covid-19 virus.