Vigilance key for COVID

A TOWNSVILLE doctor has called on the community to remain vigilant in the fight against COVID-19 after the town’s sewerage registered a positive test for the disease.

At a press conference in Brisbane on Saturday, Deputy Premier Steven Miles confirmed that Townsville sewage had tested positive to COVID-1 .

“It underlines just how valuable that wastewater testing is proving to be,” he said.

The Townsville Public Health Unit said they detected traces of COVID-19 in the Cleveland Bay Wastewater Treatment Plant. The plant serves the city and southern suburbs of Townsville.

Townsville Public Health Unit director Steven Donohue said the benefits of sewage testing is that it could indicate the possibility of undetected cases of COVID-19 in the region.

“People shouldn’t be alarmed but they shouldn’t be complacent either, if you are sick, go and get tested and then stay home until you get your results,” he said.

“This surveillance testing is extremely sensitive. It picks

• 1300 Smiles Stadium COVID19 drive-through community assessment clinic

• Reid Park drive-through COVID-19 community assessment clinic

• Townsville Aboriginal and Islander Health Service (TAIHS) pop-up clinic

Townsville Primary Health Unit director Steven Donohue has warned the community to remain vigilant.

up tiny pieces of genetic material (RNA) of COVID-19.

“This is dead virus material so there is no risk to the com

munity or to drinking water.

“This is our first positive sample and we will be doing further testing in coming days

to confirm this detection.”

Dr Donohue said it was imperative the community understood that the positive

result does not necessary mean there are active cases in Townsville. “There are no known outbreaks or active cases in Townsville and hasn’t been for some time,” he said.

“However, this positive sample means we cannot rule out the possibility there was or is an infected person in the area who has not been tested.

“It could also be an indication that someone who has previously had COVID-19 has visited our area and is still shedding the dead virus.

“This detection should serve as an alert and warning to the community to be vigilant for COVID-19 symptoms, such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat or loss of smell or taste.”

He said anyone with any symptoms of COVID-19, no matter how mild, should get tested immediately.

Dr Donohue said some myths had begun circulating in the Townsville community about testing for COVID-19.

“Getting a test does not mean you have to quarantine for 14 days, you just have to go home until we text your results, which takes about 24 hours,” he said.

“People who tested negative for COVID-19 in March or April can still contract the disease and if they get sick again, they should get tested again.”