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Tweed residents are urged to get tested if they experience even the slightest symptoms of illness following the first positive detection of COVID-19 through the NSW Government’s sewage surveillance program.
NSW Health confirmed today it had recorded positive detection of COVID-19 fragments in the Tweed Banora Point wastewater treatment plant following its latest sampling on Tuesday 28 September.
The Tweed Banora Point wastewater treatment plant services about 48,000 people in Tweed Heads, Tweed Heads South, Tweed Heads West, Banora Point, Terranora and Bilambil Heights.
This is the first positive detection of COVID-19 in the Tweed’s wastewater since the testing agreement with NSW Health began in July 2020.
Mayor of Tweed Shire Chris Cherry urged any resident experiencing even the slightest of symptoms to get tested.
“It’s crucial we remain vigilant during this time,” Cr Cherry said.
“I urge any person, particularly residents in the suburbs serviced by the Tweed Banora Point wastewater treatment plant, to act swiftly and get tested immediately should they feel even the slightest of symptoms. Widespread testing is critical if we are to remain on top of this virus.
“We’ve done so well until now as a community to keep COVID-19 at bay and we must continue to stand together as we weather the next few months of this storm. It’s important to maintain high testing rates to identify as many cases in the community as quickly as possible.”
People are urged to get tested if they display even the mildest of COVID-19 symptoms, including a fever, cough, sore or itchy throat, shortness of breath, runny nose, loss of taste or loss of smell. To find your nearest coronavirus testing centre, visit the NSW Government’s COVID-19 testing clinics site.
Under the COVID-19 sewage surveillance program, Council provides raw sewage samples to NSW Health for testing. Typically, testing is undertaken weekly, but at times frequency is increased on the request of NSW Health in response to higher risk periods.
Results of the testing program are published on the NSW Health website. A comprehensive FAQ section on the Sewage Surveillance Program is published on the NSW Health website.
For more information on COVID-19 in the Tweed and its impact on Council facilities, please visit the COVID-19 Emergency Dashboard.
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