December 3rd, 2020COVID detected in wastewater in Daylesford
COVID-19 has been detected in wastewater samples collected from Daylesford, Hepburn and Hepburn Springs.
A Department of Health and Human Services media release, issued on Thursday, December 3, said the viral fragments of coronavirus were detected from a sample taken on Monday, November 30 and further samples were being taken on Thursday.
“People who have or have recently had COVID-19 may shed fragments of the virus and these can enter wastewater through toilets, sinks and drains.
“As always, anyone with symptoms in the Daylesford, Hepburn and Hepburn Springs area – or anyone with symptoms who visited the region on the weekend – should get tested. Testing is available at Daylesford Health from 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday.”
Testing is also available at Kyneton Hospital.
Hepburn Shire Mayor Cr Lesley Hewitt said the council had been notified of the findings on Thursday. She said she could not offer any comment on why the discovery of virus traces was not made public earlier.
“My understanding is that DHHS were of the view that it is probably someone shedding who has previously had the virus. It just means that it probably someone has come here and has been shedding the virus.”
Cr Hewitt said there was no reason the finding should impact on tourism and people should not be alarmed but just follow the health guidelines including sanitising, practicing social distancing and wearing a mask while indoors or if it is not possible to social distance outdoors.
Cr Hewitt said it was impossible to know who the virus had come from, resident or visitor.
“It is an important health message that people should continue to take all the precautions that we are supposed to take. If anyone has any symptoms, they should get tested.”
The Respiratory Assessment Centres in Daylesford and Kyneton continue to offer testing to anyone in the community with symptoms of the coronavirus, no matter how mild.
Symptoms are: fever, chills or sweats; cough; sore throat; shortness of breath; runny nose; and/or loss of sense of smell or taste
Call first, from Monday to Friday, for an appointment. Daylesford Health is 5321 6654 and Kyneton Health is 5422 9900.
