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Dire Covid warning for dozens of Sydney suburbs

Tom Flanagan
·Associate News Editor
Updated ·2-min read

Dozens of Sydney suburbs are being urged to be on high alert after traces of coronavirus were found in sewage.

Despite recording zero locally acquired cases in the past 24-hour reporting period for the third consecutive day, health authorities are concerned after fragments of Covid-19 were discovered at the Glenfield sewage treatment plant in the city’s southwest for the second time in the past month.

NSW Health says there are more than 160,000 people living in the 36 suburbs linked to the plant.

There were 19,959 tests processed in the reporting period, an improvement on recent days where testing numbers have concerned Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant.

Thirty-six suburbs are being urged to be on high alert after the virus was detected in sewage. Source: NSW Health
Thirty-six suburbs are being urged to be on high alert after the virus was detected in sewage. Source: NSW Health

Yet NSW Health said Wednesday’s announced figure is “still insufficient”.

Dr Chant has previously said she wants testing numbers to be in excess of 25,000 a day to successfully detect unknown chains of transmission.

Three cases in hotel quarantine were reported.

Eased restrictions likely

Ms Berejiklian promised to ease Covid-19 restrictions in a week's time if cases remain low, with the rules to be as close as possible to those in place before the Avalon outbreak in December.

"Please know that if things continue the way they are, by this time next week there will certainly be decisions made around getting us as close as possible to pre-Avalon conditions," Ms Berejiklian told reporters on Wednesday.

The lifting of restrictions depends on good testing numbers and low-to-zero community transmission continuing, she said.

Ms Berejiklian said masks were likely to remain compulsory on public transport to give people the confidence they need to return to work safely.

List of suburbs on high alert

  • Airds

  • Ambarvale

  • Appin

  • Bardia,

  • Blair Athol

  • Blairmount

  • Bow Bowing

  • Bradbury

  • Campbelltown

  • Casula

  • Claymore

  • Currans Hill

  • Eagle Vale

  • Englorie Park

  • Eschol Park

  • Gilead

  • Glen Alpine

  • Glenfield

  • Gregory Hills

  • Holsworthy

  • Ingleburn

  • Kearns

  • Kentlyn

  • Leumeah

  • Long Point

  • Macquarie Fields

  • Macquarie Links

  • Menangle Park

  • Minto

  • Raby

  • Rosemeadow

  • Ruse

  • St Andrews

  • St Helens Park

  • Varroville

  • Woodbine

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