Fears Covid could be spreading undetected through Queensland after virus showed up in four regional sewage treatment plants
- There are concerns Covid is spreading undetected throughout Queensland
- Routine testing detected Covid in treatment plants in Cairns and three others
- Chief Health Officer urges people to seek testing for the mildest of symptoms
There are concerns Covid could be spreading undetected throughout Queensland after the virus showed up in four separate sewage tests.
Routine testing detected Covid in treatment plants in Cairns, Warwick, Stanthorpe and Loganholme immediately after Christmas on December 29 and 30.
Residents in affected areas, as well as anybody in Queensland who recently travelled to New South Wales or Victoria, are urged to seek testing immediately.
Queensland chief health officer Jeannette Young said while the results don’t necessarily mean the active virus is present in the Sunshine State, it is still concerning, particularly given the outbreaks in southern states.
‘A positive sewage result means that someone who has been infected was shedding the virus,’ she said on Tuesday.
‘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 any returned travellers should consider getting tested even if they aren’t displaying any symptoms.
Additional clinics have opened throughout the entire state to combat long waiting times and queues.
Queensland confirmed there were two new cases of Covid detected in the state on Tuesday, both in returned travellers already in mandatory hotel quarantine.