Northern NSW Local Health District is urging people in the Yamba area with even the mildest symptoms to get tested for COVID-19 following detection of fragments of the virus that causes COVID-19 in the Yamba sewage treatment plant

 

Clarence Valley Independent, 18 August 2021:

Lynne Weir, Acting Chief Executive for Northern NSW Local Health District is urging people in the Yamba area to get tested for COVID-19 with even the mildest of symptoms following detection of fragments of the virus that causes COVID-19 in the Yamba sewage treatment plant.

There are no new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in residents of Northern NSW Local Health District and no known cases in the Yamba area, which could indicate undetected infections.

Sewage testing is an additional surveillance tool which can help provide early warning of undetected infections.

The Yamba sewage treatment plant serves approximately 6,500 people. Additional samples are being taken this week. An additional sample taken from the Ballina sewage treatment plant on 15 August returned a negative result.

Anyone who is even slightly unwell is urged to come forward for testing immediately, then isolate until they receive a negative result.

We are also strongly encouraging people who may live on properties which are not connected to the town sewage supply systems, to please be alert for any symptoms of COVID-19 and get tested immediately.

Getting tested not only helps our public health teams respond quickly, it also means that if you do become more severely ill, we can provide necessary medical care and treatment.

A new testing clinic….. in Yamba:

• QML Pathology Drive Through Clinic, Raymond Laurie Sports Centre, 78 Angourie Rd, Yamba. Open 9am- 3pm. No appointments required. [my yellow highlighting]

Other testing clinics in the Clarence Valley are:

• Yamba Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology, 72 Yamba Road, Yamba. Open Monday to Friday 7.30am – 2.00pm, appointments required.

• Yamba Respiratory Clinic, 12 Clarence Street, Yamba. Open Monday to Friday 8.00am – 5.00pm, appointments required.

• Grafton Base Hospital clinic, 184 Arthur Street, Grafton. Open seven days 9.00am – 5.00pm, no appointment required.

• Grafton South Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology, 94 Bent Street, Coles Complex, South Grafton. Open Monday – Friday 7.00am – 2.00pm, appointments required.

To find your nearest testing clinic, visit https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/how-toprotect-yourself-and-others/clinics or contact your GP.

The Daily Telegraph, 19 August 2021:

Clarence Valley Council general manager Ashley Lindsay says it was only a matter of time until Covid would return to the region after testing showed fragments had been detected in wastewater…...

“It was going to get to us eventually and Yamba being a tourist location with lots of people passing through adds to the likelihood of it being in the community,” Mr Lindsay said.

“We’re also looking at a pretty contagious strain of the virus so it’s to be expected that it would arrive here at some stage.” The Clarence Valley hasn’t had a positive Covid case since early 2020. Of the eight positive cases in April last year, two were identified as residents from the Yamba area.

Mr Lindsay said the positive result arose from testing carried out by NSW Health’s sewage surveillance program on Monday.

“We’ve tested again this morning and that’s already been sent off for analysis,” he said. “As for the positive result, which came from testing done on Monday, I understand it’s not that significant an amount ... quite minor, much like Lennox Head when they found traces.

“Sewage obviously takes a while to get from the home to the treatment plant so it’s difficult to determine whether or not the person that might have Covid might be long gone; we’re just not sure how long it’s been in our community.” …..

IMAGE: The Daily Telegraph

Yesterday cars began to line up before the new drive-through testing clinic in Yamba had opened.