Coronavirus traces detected in sewage prompts warnings for parts of Sydney

NSW Health has issued a fresh warning for more than 1 million Sydneysiders to be alert to symptoms and get tested for coronavirus.

A raft of Sydney suburbs have been urged to get tested for coronavirus after traces of the deadly virus were found in sewage.

Fragments of the virus were detected at treatment plants at Liverpool, Warriewood and North Head, the NSW Health Department said on Sunday.

The Liverpool plant includes a catchment of about 180,000 people from suburbs including Bardia, Hinchinbrook, Hoxton Park, Abbotsbury, Ingleburn, Prestons, Holsworthy and Edmondson Park.

NSW Health’s Dr Christine Selvey urges people with even mild symptoms to get tested for coronavirus. Picture: Jonathan Ng

“NSW Health urges everyone living or working in these suburbs to monitor for symptoms and get tested and isolate immediately if they appear,” a statement warned.

The Warriewood plant services about 70,000 people from the northern beaches while the North Head facility takes in a catchment of 1.3 million people from Sydney, north of the Parramatta River from western Sydney to Manly.

These detections “likely reflect” known confirmed cases in these areas, the health department said.

But it urged anyone who lives or works in the area to watch for symptoms and get tested as well as isolate if they appear.

A health worker carries out a COVID-19 testing at the Merrylands drive-through clinic in early January at Sydney. Picture: Brook Mitchell/Getty Images

The detections come as New South Wales recorded a week without a new, locally acquired infection of the virus.

Three cases were recorded from overseas travellers in hotel quarantine in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday, according to the health department.

The results come from 11,344 tests taken in that period with people showing even mild symptoms urged to get a test.

“High testing rates are necessary to give confidence that no cases are going undetected in the community,” NSW Health’s Dr Christine Selvey said.

LIVERPOOL TREATMENT PLANT SUBURBS 

Bardia, Hinchinbrook, Hoxton Park, Abbotsbury, Ingleburn, Prestons, Holsworthy, Edmondson Park, Austral, Cecil Park, Cecil Hills, Elizabeth Hills, Bonnyrigg Heights, Edensor Park, Green Valley, Pleasure Point, Casula, Hammondville, Liverpool, Moorebank, Wattle Grove, Miller, Cartwright, Lurnea, Warwick Farm, Chipping Norton, Voyager Point, Macquarie Links, Glenfield, Catherine Field, Gledswood Hills, Varroville, Leppington, West Hoxton, Horningsea Park, Middleton Grange, Len Waters Estate, Carnes Hill and Denham Court.