Urgent alert for more than 120,000 residents living across 11 Melbourne suburbs after coronavirus fragments are found in sewage water – despite the state recording no new Covid-19 cases on Saturday
- Covid-19 fragments have been detected in outer-west Melbourne wastewater
- Residents in 11 suburbs are told to get tested urgently if they have symptoms
- Victoria has 15 recorded active cases of coronavirus, 11 are community cases
Covid-19 has been detected in wastewater in 11 Melbourne suburbs, and residents are urged to get tested immediately.
Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton is asking locals and visitors to the outer west of Melbourne with any symptoms to get tested urgently, even if they are only mild.
The affected suburbs are Taylors Hill, Plumpton, Hillside, Sydenham, Delahey, Caroline Springs, Burnside Heights, Kings Park, Albanvale, Burnside and Deer Park.
Covid-19 has been detected in wastewater in 11 Melbourne suburbs, and residents are urged to get tested immediately. Pictured: Samples being taken from a sewer in Melbourne, May 2020
The viral fragment was collected on February 22, and Mr Sutton has asked anyone in those suburbs from February 20-22 with symptoms to come forward for a test.
‘Fragments of the virus detected in wastewater may be due to a person with COVID-19 being in the early active infectious phase,’ he said.
‘Or it could be because someone is continuing to shed the virus after the early infectious period.’
There are 15 cases in Victoria, but the state recorded no new positives on Saturday despite 10,000 tests being taken.
Four of the active cases are from hotel quarantine and eleven are community cases.
The vaccine rollout has commenced in the state, with 3612 doses being administered so far.
This week also meant less restrictions for Victoria, as 30 people are now allowed in a home setting and 100 can gather outdoors.