Wastewater detection puts region on COVID-19 alert

BENDIGO Health is urging residents to remain on high alert after fragments of coronavirus were found in the wastewater of Axedale and Bendigo.

CEO Peter Faulkner said they are retesting the close contacts of the positive case in the affected postcodes.

“We have reached out directly to the primary close contacts of the positive case that was in Bendigo last weekend,” he said.

“For those in the affected postcode areas of which there is 27, they have all been contacted and asked to present for retesting, out of an abundance of caution on our behalf.

“The remaining 60 primary close contacts, we have messaged each of them and suggested that they come and get tested but they weren’t in the postcodes identified through the wastewater detection program.”

“All of those people have been asked to present for testing, and if anybody in our community has symptoms don’t hesitate to come along and get tested.”

Some close contacts were tested immediately as part of an outreach service, while the remaining contacts will be fast-tracked through the testing clinic.

“The purpose in doing that testing is really just to provide reassurance that what we’re actually seeing in the wastewater may be the shedding of the virus from the positive case we know that was in Bendigo and Axedale in the past,” Mr Faulkner said.

“We want to make absolutely certain that we don’t have any close contacts that have converted to positive.”