Newcastle residents with the mildest of symptoms are being urged to get tested after a high level of COVID-19 fragments was detected in Newcastle sewage.
NSW Health announced on Wednesday morning, August 4, that its ongoing sewage surveillance program had detected fragments of the virus in a number of the state’s sewage facilities including those at Newcastle’s Burwood Beach, Shortland and Belmont.
“These plants cover over 400,000 people across Greater Newcastle and Lake Macquarie,” NSW Health said.
“None of these have known cases of COVID-19 living in any of the areas they serve.
“NSW Health urges everyone in all of these areas to be particularly vigilant for the onset of symptoms that could signal COVID-19, and if they appear, to immediately be tested and isolate until a negative result is received.”
In particular, the Burwood Beach sewage treatment plant serves about 225,800 people from Newcastle and the surrounding suburbs of Dudley, Charlestown, Jesmond, Lambton, New Lambton, Mayfield, Elermore Vale, Wallsend, Kotara, Garden Suburb, Adamstown Heights, Kahibah, Highfields, Merewether, Waratah West, Georgetown and Carrington.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian also announced on Wednesday morning that NSW had recorded 233 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm on Tuesday and a man in his 20s from south-west Sydney died in his home from the virus.
NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said the man was isolated at home when he deteriorated very quickly and complained of feeling “a little fatigued” before his death.
“He was being cared for by south-western Sydney local health district during his isolation period and he’d reached day 13, he was being followed up daily by nursing staff and suddenly deteriorated.
“I think that is important to understand that your health status can deteriorate, and you can have sudden death with COVID infection.”
The sewage detection comes just days after several thousands of local Pfizer vaccinations were cancelled at the Belmont hub to allow the redirection of vaccines to Sydney HSC students.
Hayley McMahon