More than one million Sydneysiders have been put on high alert after traces of coronavirus were detected in sewage at multiple locations across the city.
The latest sewage surveillance program picked-up fragments of the virus at two treatment plants on the city’s Northern Beaches.
The North Head plant takes in a catchment area of about 1.3million residents, from north of the Parramatta River in Western Sydney, east through to Manly.
The treatment plant at Warriewood has a catchment area of about 70,000 people in the northern end of the Northern Beaches.
Residents should monitor for symptoms and get tested immediately if they appear.
‘While this likely reflects known recent confirmed cases in these areas, NSW Health urges everyone living or working there to monitor for symptoms and get tested and isolate immediately if they appear,’ NSW Health said.
Fragments of coronavirus were also detected at the Liverpool treatment plant, in Sydney’s southwest, which has a catchment area of about 180,000 people across almost 40 suburbs.
Those who live or work in the area should also monitor for symptoms and get tested and isolate immediately if they appear.
NSW recorded zero locally acquired cases of coronavirus on Sunday for the seventh consecutive day.
A total of 11,344 tests were processed in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday but health authorities are concerned not enough people are coming forward for testing.
‘NSW Health continues to urge people across the state to come forward for testing with even the mildest of symptoms,’ NSW Health said.
‘High testing rates are essential to give us confidence that no cases are going undetected in the community.
‘Everyone who gets tested is playing an important role in helping to contain the spread of Covid-19.’
SYDNEYSIDERS PUT ON ALERT
The North Head sewage treatment plant has a catchment of about 1.3million residents in the following local government areas: Northern Beaches, Hunters Hill, Ku-Ring-Gai, Blacktown, Mosman, Ryde, The Hills, City of Parramatta, Lane Cove
Liverpool’s treatment plant takes in a catchment of close to 180,000 people from the suburbs of Bardia, Hinchinbrook, Hoxton Park, Abbotsbury, Ingleburn, Prestons, Holsworthy, Edmondson Park, Austral, Cecil Park, Cecil Hills, Elizabeth Hills, Bonnyrigg Heights, Edensor Park, Green Valley, Pleasure Point, Casula, Hammondville, Liverpool, Moorebank, Wattle Grove, Miller, Cartwright, Lurnea, Warwick Farm, Chipping Norton, Voyager Point, Macquarie Links, Glenfield, Catherine Field, Gledswood Hills, Varroville, Leppington, West Hoxton, Horningsea Park, Middleton Grange, Len Waters Estate, Carnes Hill and Denham Court
