More Sydney suburbs on alert after Covid-19 was detected in the sewage

There are concerns Sydney’s outbreak could spread well beyond the eastern suburbs after Covid-19 was detected in two sewage plants.

Thousands of Sydneysiders have been put on alert after fragments of Covid-19 were detected in sewage.

The health department’s sewage surveillance program detected signs of the virus in its Brooklyn treatment plant, as well as its Camellia North and South pumping stations in Sydney’s west.

More than 110,000 residents across dozens of suburbs have now been urged to monitor for symptoms.

NSW Health said the Brooklyn catchment serves about 1000 people, covering Dangar Island, Cowan, Brooklyn, Mooney Mooney, and Cheerio Point.

The Camellia North and South catchments serve about 109,600 people and cover Camellia, Harris Park, Granville, South Granville, Mays Hill, Merrylands, Merrylands West, North Parramatta, Parramatta, South Wentworthville, Westmead, Guildford West, Sydney Olympic Park, Newington, Holroyd, Clyde, Auburn, Old Guildford, Guildford, Silverwater, Rosehill and Rydalmere.

NSW recorded two locally acquired cases of #COVID19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, both of which were announced yesterday morning.

NSW Health has also been notified of two new locally acquired cases overnight. These cases will be included in tomorrow's numbers. pic.twitter.com/YrCa3XFXxQ

— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) June 21, 2021

“People who have recently recovered from Covid-19 may continue to shed virus fragments into the wastewater system for several weeks after they are no longer infectious,” the health department said.

“NSW Health urges everyone in these areas to be especially vigilant for any cold-like symptoms. If they appear, please immediately be tested and isolate until a negative result is received.”

It comes as NSW recorded two new cases, which will be included in Tuesday’s numbers.

One is a man in his 30s from Sydney’s eastern suburbs. He is a close contact of a previously reported case and has been in isolation.

The other is a woman in her 50s from Sydney’s northern suburbs. She is also a close contact of a previously reported case and has been isolating.

The two new cases take the Bondi cluster to 11.

Residents have been told to monitor for symptoms. Picture: Flavio Brancaleone / NCA NewsWire

A swath of venues are on alert, including several in the CBD and a busy Westfield in the eastern suburbs.

Masks are now mandatory in public indoor venues – if you are not eating or drinking – if you live in or have visited seven local government areas, including Randwick, Bayside, Canada Bay, Inner West, City of Sydney, Waverley and Woollahra.

Indoor activities where masks are mandatory include riding public transport, retail, theatres, visiting aged care facilities and for front-of-house hospitality staff.

The public transport mask mandate has also been extended to Wollongong and Shellharbour local government areas because the man in his 30s who tested positive from Sydney’s CBD had also spent time in Wollongong.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and the state’s chief health officer, Dr Kerry Chant, will address the media later on Monday with more information.

Originally published as More Sydney suburbs on alert after Covid-19 was detected in the sewage