Batemans Bay: NSW Health says ‘no noticeable increase’ in COVID-19 testing after sewage find

The south coast towns having it sewage tested for COVID-19 can be revealed after traces of the virus were recently found in Batemans Bay.

NSW Health said there has been no noticeable increase in the number of people being tested in Batemans Bay. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Joel Carrett

NSW Health has revealed sewage samples are being taken across the south coast as the state’s COVID-19 surveillance program continues.

Last month NSW Health called on residents of the Batemans Bay area to get tested if they have even the mildest COVID-19 symptoms after fragments of the virus that causes the disease were detected the town’s sewage.

A spokesperson for the Southern NSW Local Health District said this week, since the announcement there has been “no noticeable increase” in the number of people being tested in Batemans Bay.

“Follow up testing at Batemans Bay has not found any further fragments of the virus that causes COVID-19,” they said.

NSW Health says there has been no noticeable increase in the number of people being tested for COVID-19 in Batemans Bay Picture: NCA NewsWire/Joel Carrett

“NSW Health will continue to monitor the situation.”

The spokesperson also said sewage samples in Goulburn, Queanbeyan, Cooma, Jindabyne, Moruya, Narooma, Bermagui, Merimbula and Eden are also being tested.

The department said the positive Batemans Bay sewage result could be due to shedding of the virus by someone who may have previously had the illness, with the virus ‘shedding’ through their system for up to six to eight weeks later.

NSW recorded no new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm on Sunday.

Four cases were reported in overseas travellers, bringing the total number of cases in NSW since the start of the pandemic to 4,425.