COVID-19 detected in Homebush sewage testing

21 May, 2021, 11:20 am24 May, 2021, 2:32 pm Sarah Mason

Fragments of the virus that causes COVID-19 have been detected at a sewage network site at Homebush.

This catchment area includes about 40,500 people and takes sewage from the suburbs of Homebush West, Strathfield, Rookwood, Concord West, Sydney Olympic Park, Wentworth Point, Newington, Lidcombe, Homebush, Silverwater, Petersham, Liberty Grove, Rhodes, North Strathfield, and Concord.

NSW Health is aware of recent COVID-19 cases, several returned overseas travellers, who live in this catchment. People who are recently recovered from COVID-19 can continue to shed virus fragments into the sewerage system for several weeks even after they are no longer infectious.

Nonetheless, NSW Health is asking everyone in the area to be vigilant in monitoring for symptoms, and if they appear get tested and isolate immediately until they receive a negative result.

Anyone experiencing even the mildest of cold-like symptoms should come forward immediately for testing, then isolate until a negative result is received.

There are more than 300 COVID-19 testing locations across NSW. To find your nearest clinic, visit here.

The spread-stopping sewage surveillance program, a collaborative project by NSW Health and Sydney Water, detects molecular markers of SARS-CoV-2 – the virus that causes COVID-19 – in sewage.

The world-first sewage testing program recently won the Research and Development Excellence Award at the NSW Water Awards.

NSW Health urges everyone in NSW to continue to take practical measures to stay COVID-safe, including practising good hand hygiene and always using QR codes to check in to and out of venues.

NSW recorded no new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.

The last time there were no new cases of COVID-19 reported in NSW was the 24 hours to 8pm on 1 April 2021. There were 14,691 tests reported to 8pm last night, compared with the previous day’s total of 16,178.

NSW Health administered its highest number of vaccines in one day with 11,950 COVID-19 vaccines in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, including 5,171 at the vaccination centre at Sydney Olympic Park.

The total number of vaccines administered in NSW is now more than one million, 1,030,428, with 326,563 doses administered by NSW Health to 8pm last night and 703,865 administered by Commonwealth Government providers, including GPs, to 11:59pm on Wednesday 19 May 2021.