By Jeremy Sollars
Queensland Health is urging anyone in the Warwick and Stanthorpe regions with COVID-19 symptoms “no matter how mild” to undergo testing, following the return of positive results of wastewater testing in both towns.
In a statement released earlier this afternoon – Tuesday 5 January – Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Dr Jeanette Young confirmed that “routine wastewater testing has returned a positive result for viral fragments of COVID-19 in sewage at treatment plants at four locations” across Queensland, including Warwick and Stanthorpe.
“It comes as Queensland records two new COVID-19 cases today, both overseas acquired and detected while in hotel quarantine,” a Queensland Health statement said.
Dr Young said positive sewage results “collected on 29 and 30 December 2020, are particularly concerning in light of the ongoing situation in New South Wales and Victoria”.
“A positive sewage result means that someone who has been infected was shedding the virus,” Dr Young said today.
“Infected people can shed viral fragments and that shedding can happen for several weeks after the person is no longer infectious.
“While this doesn’t necessarily mean we have new cases of COVID-19 in these communities, I am treating this with absolute caution given the emerging situation across several other states.”
Dr Young said she is “calling on the Warwick, Stanthorpe, Loganholme and Cairns communities to get tested immediately if they have any COVID-19 symptoms, no matter how mild”.
“Please, get tested,” Dr Young said.
“In particular, if you have been to Victoria or hotspots in New South Wales, please come forward and get tested regardless of whether or not you have symptoms.
“If there is a case in the community, it is critical we detect it through our testing mechanisms as quickly as possible to contain any potential spread and protect the great progress Queensland has made in recent months.
“The community has rallied to get tested – we have performed over 20,000 tests in the past two days alone.
“Please remember, if your local testing clinic is crowded, consider attending another one.
“But I also want to reassure the community, local drinking water is thoroughly treated through processes that are designed to remove or kill microorganisms before they reach your taps – so there is no risk when drinking water, showering, watering the garden, swimming or other activities.”
• Testing is available without an appointment at both Warwick and Stanthorpe Hospitals according to Darling Downs Health, Queensland Health’s regional division
• Testing clinics are also available in Warwick at the Condamine Medical Centre (4666 9666 – booking required) and Warwick Sullivan Nicolaides (Friendly Society Health Centre 53 Wood St – no booking required) and Stanthorpe Sullivan Nicolaides (9 Rogers Street – no booking required).
• Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, sore throat, runny nose, diarrhoea/vomiting/nausea, loss of smell/taste, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue.
QUEENSLAND HEALTH QUESTIONED
The Free Times has put a question to Queensland Health around the release of the information on wastewater testing, after a spokeswoman advised us on New Year’s Day – last Friday 1 January – that no wastewater testing for COVID-19 had been carried out since Monday 21 December in either Warwick or Stanthorpe at sewage treatment plants.
That response was prompted by our random check of the Queensland Health website the previous day, New Year’s Eve, which suggested no wastewater testing results for Warwick or Stanthorpe had been recorded since Monday 21 December.
Locations which as of today, Tuesday, show no current wastewater results – at least since last Monday 28 December – include Maryborough, Nambour, Noosa, Kawana, Caboolture, Redcliffe and Rockhampton ‘North’ and Mackay ‘South’, despite all those locations having previously been subject to regular wastewater testing for COVID-19.
The Queensland Health spokeswoman said on New Year’s Day that wastewater testing in Queensland had for the previous two weeks been confined to “larger metropolitan centres” and “major tourism locations”, despite Warwick and Stanthorpe being border communites.
We are currently awaiting further information from Queensland Health.
