Northern NSW Local Health District is urging people in the Lismore City and Byron Bay areas to get tested for COVID-19, after fragments of the virus were detected in samples from the East Lismore, South Lismore and Byron Bay sewage treatment plants.
Acting Chief Executive Northern NSW Local Health District, Lynne Weir, said the samples were collected on 15 September in East and South Lismore and 16 September in Byron Bay. ‘The East Lismore treatment plant serves about 17,000 people, the South Lismore treatment plant serves about 15,500 people and the Byron Bay treatment plant serves around 9,000 people.
‘While there are no new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Northern NSW Local Health District, these new detections are concerning and follow a detection at the Wardell treatment plant on 14 September.
Test could indicate there are positive cases in the community
Ms Weir said the detections could indicate there are positive cases in the community who have not been tested. ‘Detections can also be due to shedding of the virus by someone who may have previously had the illness and may no longer be infectious.
‘The detection could be due to someone in the area or someone who has since left the area, but we need everyone to remain vigilant and get tested at the first sign of even mild symptoms.’
To access at COVID-19 test, Testing clinics operating on Saturday 18 September and Sunday 19 September in Lismore and Byron Bay are located at:
Lismore Base Hospital, Uralba Street, Lismore opening at 9am
Lismore 4Cyte Pathology Drive-through Clinic, 47-49 Dawson Street, 2480, Lismore opening 8am to 2pm
Sullivan and Nicolaides Pathology, 62 Wyrallah Road, Shop 12, Wyrallah Road Shopping Centre opening at 8am
Goonellabah QML Pathology Drive-through and Walk-in Clinic, 50 Oliver Avenue, Goonellabah Sports and Aquatic Centre (GSAC), Goonellabah opening at 8am – 3pm
Byron Central Hospital Fever Clinic, Ewingsdale Road, Byron Bay opening at 9am
Cavanbah Centre, 249 Ewingsdale Road, Byron Bay Saturday 18 September open until 3pm and Sunday 19 September from 9am – 2pm.
Testing clinics will be operating at Cabbage Tree Island Health Post from 10am – 3pm on Saturday 18 September and Sunday 19 September.
A drive through testing clinic will also be open from 10am – 2pm at the Wardell tennis courts on Saturday 18 September and Sunday 19 September.
You can find testing clinics and their opening hours on the NSW government website at: https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/health-and-wellbeing/clinics or, you can also contact your GP.
Sewage testing results are updated daily at: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/stats-nsw.aspx#map
Recent stories, information and updates regarding COVID-19
New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics Life shows life expectancy in Australia has decreased slightly for the second year in a row. An international team of researchers has found more evidence that COVID-19 came from animals in a Wuhan food market. The lab-leak theory that Covid-19 came from the Wuhan Institute of Virology – instead of a nearby wet market – was thrashed about in public recently, with the US Senate Homeland Security Committee holding a hearing into Covid-19. Eighteen schools in the Northern Rivers division of Richmond have received $25,000 each as part of the federal government’s School Upgrade Fund, Labor Member for Richmond Justine Elliot said last week. COVID-19 reversed earlier trends toward longer life expectancies. During the pandemic, life expectancies globally dropped by 1.6 years according to a new study published in the Lancet medical journal. Let’s not forget that Covid-19 is still a big issue in our community with 31,935 cases reported across Australia in the last week – an average of 4,562 cases per day. The Global Carbon Budget is about to be refreshed, giving the world a critical insight into how efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are (or are not) progressing. Masks will no longer be mandatory on public transport from tomorrow, Wednesday 21 September. SW Police are urging festival-goers at this weekend’s music festival to celebrate in a safe and responsible manner, whilst also being aware of COVID-Safety measures. The Northern NSW Local Health District reports that to 4pm yesterday, Sunday May 22, there were 40 COVID-19 positive patients in hospital in Northern NSW, with one of these in ICU.
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