COVID-19 fragments detected in Belconnen waste water

ACT Health is urging the community to get tested for COVID-19 if they have even the mildest of symptoms, with fragments of the virus detected in the ACT’s wastewater (sewage) for the first time. The positive detection was found in a sewage sample collected on 27 January 2021 from the Belconnen wastewater testing location. The Belconnen testing site covers wastewater from Aranda, Belconnen, Bruce, Charnwood, Cook, Dunlop, Evatt, Florey, Flynn, Fraser, Giralang, Hall, Hawker, Higgins, Holt, Kaleen, Latham, Lawson, Macgregor, Macquarie, McKellar, Melba, Page, Scullin, Spence, Strathnairn and Weetangera. All other locations in the ACT had negative sample results on 27 January. Anyone who lives in, works in, or has recently visited the Belconnen area, is urged to get tested for COVID-19 if they are experiencing even the mildest of symptoms, and to self-isolate until they receive a negative result. This is particularly important for anyone who has recently travelled outside the ACT. Common symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, sore throat, cough, shortness of breath, and loss of smell or taste, while less commons symptoms include runny or blocked nose, muscle pain, joint pain, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite. ACT Health is continuing to investigate and further wastewater testing will be conducted next week as part of the ongoing Wastewater surveillance program in the ACT. For information, including FAQs on the ACT Wastewater Surveillance Program, visit www.covid19.act.gov.au/news-articles/wastewater