Thousands of Australians are on alert after coronavirus fragments were found in multiple sewage catchments.
The virus was detected in the Luggage Point wastewater treatment plant, which services the Brisbane Metro North area and some inner-city suburbs.
Fragments of coronavirus were also found in the Marlin Coast wastewater treatment plant in Carins and the Kawana wastewater treatment plant on the Sunshine Coast.
The health alert, which was issued by Queensland Health on Friday afternoon, impacts residents across 130 suburbs.
Queensland Health said locals who have symptoms must come forward for testing, no matter how mild.
Thousands of Australians are on alert after coronavirus fragments were found in multiple sewage catchments. Pictured: Health worker tests a member of the public at a Covid-19 drive through clinic
Date Time
Positive wastewater detections across multiple catchments 5 March
Fragments of SARS-CoV-2 have been detected at the Luggage Point (servicing the Brisbane Metro North area and some inner-city suburbs on the southside), Marlin Coast (Cairns) and Kawana (Sunshine Coast) wastewater treatment plants.
Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said anyone with symptoms, no matter how mild, should come forward and get tested.
“Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, fatigue, diarrhoea, nausea or vomiting, and loss of taste or smell,” Dr Young said.
“It is very important people with symptoms come forward right away and get tested – we can’t be complacent, we’re still in this pandemic.”