Coronavirus fragments detected in wastewater at Lakes Entrance

Residents and visitors at a Victorian town are being urged to get tested after viral fragments were detected in their wastewater.

Health authorities have confirmed a weak detection of viral coronavirus fragments from wastewater in Lakes Entrance on January 28.

In the state chief health officer’s daily COVID-19 statement on Wednesday afternoon, anyone who lives in or visited the town in Victoria’s east from 26 to 28 January was urged to get tested if they had any symptoms.

Viral fragments were also recently detected in wastewater at several other locations across Victoria.

“While viral fragments have not been detected in samples since taken from these sites, anyone who lives in or has visited Castlemaine, Cowes, Hamilton, Pakenham or Warrnambool from 25 to 27 January, Gisborne from 24 to 26 January, or Leongatha from 17 to 19 January, is urged to get tested if they have any symptoms,” the statement read.

It comes after Victoria recorded no new locally-acquired cases of coronavirus for the 28th straight day.

There are 21 active cases in Victoria, made up of zero locally acquired cases and 21 cases in returned travellers in hotel quarantine.