Urgent Covid alert for 63 Sydney suburbs after disturbing find
More than 60 suburbs have been put on alert, after sewage testing at two treatment plants in Sydney detected fragments of the virus which causes Covid-19.
The fragments were detected as part of NSW’s ongoing sewage surveillance, the two treatment plants authorities flagged on Monday are the treatment plants in Liverpool and Glenfield in Sydney’s south west.
The plants cover 63 suburbs in the Liverpool and Campbelltown local government areas and NSW health authorities are now concerned Covid may be circulating in the community undetected.
“The presence of SARS-CoV-2 in sewage may reflect the presence of known cases of Covid-19 diagnosed in recent weeks in the areas served by these sewage treatment plants,” NSW Health said.
“However, NSW Health is concerned there could be other active cases in the local community in people who have not been tested and who might incorrectly assume their symptoms are just a cold.”
Anyone who is in those areas is being asked by NSW Health to be on alert for symptoms and get tested if any develop and isolate until a negative result is received.
The suburbs covered by the Liverpool and Glenfield treatment plans include:
Abbotsbury
Airds
Ambarvale
Appin
Austral
Bardia
Blair Athol
Blairmount
Bonnyrigg Heights
Bow Bowing
Bradbury
Campbelltown
Carnes Hill
Cartwright
Casula
Catherine Field
Cecil Hills
Cecil Park
Chipping Norton
Claymore
Denham Court
Eagle Vale
Edensor Park
Edmondson Park
Elizabeth Hills
Englorie Park
Eschol Park
Gledswood Hills
Glen Alpine
Glenfield
Green Valley
Hammondville
Hinchinbrook
Holsworthy
Horningsea Park
Hoxton Park
Ingleburn
Kearns
Len Waters Estate
Leppington
Leumeah
Liverpool
Lurnea
Macquarie Fields
Macquarie Links
Menangle Park
Middleton Grange
Miller
Minto
Moorebank
Pleasure Point
Preston
Raby,
Rosemeadow,
Ruse
St Andrews
St Helens Park
Varroville
Voyager Point
Warwick Farm
Wattle Grove
West Hoxton
Woodbine
Calls for more people to get tested
NSW reported zero new locally acquired Covid cases on Monday, however, two cases were confirmed overnight after the end of the reporting and will be reflected in Tuesday’s numbers.
Just over 22,200 tests were carried out in the previous day, which Acting Premier John Barilaro said was “far too low” and Chief Health Officer, Dr Kerry Chant said she wants that number to be over 30,000.
The two new cases are linked to a bottle shop in Berala, in western Sydney adding to concerns about the growing cluster.
One of the infected people is a a man in his 40s who visited the Berala BWS on Christmas Eve. The other is a woman in her 40s who has "some association" with the Berala BWS and Woolworths, Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said.
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Thousands of people forced into Covid self-isolation across two states
Anyone who visited the BWS or Woolworths between 12.30pm and 2pm on December 20 is urged to get tested immediately, even if they do not have symptoms.
Most of the people who dropped by the BWS over the Christmas period are considered close contacts who must isolate for 14 days.
With AAP
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