Covid scare in Melbourne as seven suburbs are sent an urgent health alert after virus is found in a wastewater treatment plant
- Fragments detected in sample from Altona wastewater treatment plant
- Residents in seven suburbs across Melbourne’s west are now on high alert
- Covid symptoms include fever, sore throat, cough, and shortness of breath
A Covid scare in Melbourne has seen the Department of Health issue an urgent warning for residents in seven suburbs to remain on high alert for possible symptoms.
Victoria chalked up 34 consecutive days with no new locally acquired cases on Thursday, but the alert was released after coronavirus fragments were detected in a wastewater sample collected from the Altona wastewater treatment plant.
The positive sample – taken on March 26 – was confirmed on Thursday following intensive testing.
Residents in Altona, Altona Meadows, Hoppers Crossing, Laverton, Point Cook, Seabrook, Seaholme and Williams Landing in Melbourne’s west are strongly encouraged to monitor for possible Covid symptoms.
The health alert was released after coronavirus fragments were detected in a wastewater sample collected from the Altona wastewater treatment plant in Melbourne’s west (stock image)
Victoria chalked up 34 consecutive days with no new locally acquired cases on Thursday
Typical symptoms include fever, sore throat, cough, and shortness of breath.
The timeframe of the potential exposure to the fragments is from March 22 to March 26.
The development comes just days after the ‘unexpected detection’ of viral fragments in a catchment in Melbourne’s south-east and a second in Melbourne’s west, according to 7News.
‘Fragments of the virus detected in wastewater may be due to a person with Covid-19 being in the early active infectious phase or it could be because someone is continuing to shed the virus after the early infectious period,’ the Department of Health said in a statement.
In Brisbane, residents were out and about moments after the three-day lockdown officially ended at 12pm on Thursday.
Certain restrictions will remain in place until April 15, but Queenslanders can now leave their homes for any purpose, and travel anywhere in the state.
It was welcome news with Easter looming, with face masks still mandatory at all times in public.
In NSW, no new infections were recorded apart from a case diagnosed on Tuesday night, which was added to Thursday’s announcement.
The infectious person attended the same venue at a hen’s party in Byron Bay where seven positive cases have since been recorded.
One of those positive cases was a ‘male entertainer’ from the celebration between March 25 and 28.
In Brisbane, certain restrictions will remain in place until April 15, but Queenslanders can now leave their homes for any purpose, and travel anywhere in the state (stock image)
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