Bonny Hills Covid-19: Cause for more concern as fourth positive taken from region’s sewage

The detection of yet another Covid-19 positive sample in the Bonny Hills sewage plant has led health authorities to warn about further testing. It is the fourth positive sample taken in a month.

Covid-19 samples are being found throughout the Mid-North Coast’s sewage, but the mystery around how the virus is finding its way there still remains.

A fourth positive sample was detected in the Bonny Hills treatment plant on Monday, leading to the very real hypotheses that since no one is allowed to leave or visit the region without exemption, the virus could well be living among locals.

More of the same advice has been released by the MNCLHD in the wake of the positive finding, with its Chief Executive Stewart Dowrick urging locals with even the mildest of symptoms to get tested.

Water quality analyst Claire Gorman tests for signs of Covid-19 at Sydney waters Lab in West Ryde. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

“There are no new confirmed cases of COVID-19 anywhere in the Mid North Coast Local Health District,” he said.

“The Bonny Hills sewage treatment plant serves around 7,000 residents of Lake Cathie and Bonny Hills in the Port Macquarie-Hastings local government area.

“No recent cases have been detected in this location, so people are urged to monitor for the onset of symptoms and, if they appear, to immediately be tested and isolate until a negative result is received.

It is the fourth positive sample taken from Bonny Hills, with the health district confirming Covid positives detected on August 4, 25, and 30.

Samples have also returned positive results at Port Macquarie, Wauchope and Dunbogan in the past month.

There have been no locally acquired cases of Covid-19 on the Mid-North Coast this year.

Mr Dowrick said detection of virus fragments in sewage can help provide early warning of undetected infections in an area but can also be due to shedding of the virus by someone who may have previously had the illness and may no longer be infectious.

Mid North Coast Local Health District Chief Executive Stewart Dowrick.

“It can also be the result of a person with COVID-19 who may have visited the community and has since left the area,” he 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.

A list of the latest sewage detections in NSW is available at https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/nsw-covid-19-case-locations/sewage-testing and more information about the NSW Sewage Surveillance Program you can be found at: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/sewage-surveillance.aspx.

“We strongly encourage people in the area to remain vigilant and get tested for even the mildest of symptoms. Symptoms of COVID-19 can include a runny nose, scratchy or sore throat, cough, fever, shortness of breath, headache, tiredness, loss of taste or smell, nausea, diarrhoea or muscle aches.

“Anyone feeling unwell should immediately get tested and self-isolate until they receive a negative result, so that any potential cases in the community are identified as quickly as possible.”

Locals are urged to undertake Covid -19 testing. Picture: David. Crossing

There are COVID-19 testing clinics located at Lake Cathie, Port Macquarie, Kempsey, Bellingen, Coffs Harbour, Macksville, Nambucca Heads, South West Rocks, Wauchope and Woolgoolga.

A full list of clinic locations and opening hours are listed on the NSW government website at: https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/how-to-protect-yourself-and-others/clinics.

There are more than 485 COVID-19 testing locations across NSW, many of which are open seven days a week. MNCLHD is also encouraging people to get vaccinated as soon as possible to protect themselves against COVID-19.

There are more than 100 NSW vaccination clinics and outreach locations across the state.