A sample collected from the Narrabri Sewage Treatment Plant has returned a second negative result to COVID-19 detection.
The sample was collected on August 31 and follows a previous negative result on August 24.
Narrabri Shire Council advised last Wednesday afternoon that its Wee Waa treatment plant would be included in the NSW Health Sewage Surveillance program this week.
Mayor Ron Campbell welcomed the development.
“As many of you would know, council has been pushing hard for the inclusion of all Narrabri Shire STPs in COVID sewage testing programs and I am extremely pleased that NSW Health has now included the Wee Waa STP,” Cr Campbell said.
“This is obviously very welcome news to us all, especially with the case numbers to the west of the shire.
“However, I wish to reiterate that anyone with the slightest symptoms of COVID should present themselves for a COVID test – individual COVID tests are still playing a very big part in the detection and containment of COVID outbreaks.
“So please, present for a COVID test if you have even the slightest symptoms.”
Last week, The Courier reported that Gunnedah had reported a positive detection of COVID-19 in its sewage on August 30.
A sample collected on September 1 returned a negative result.
Similarly in Moree, positive detection was recorded on August 24, however, a testing blitz on August 29, 30 and 31 delivered negative results.
In Tamworth, the last four sample dates, collected on August 24, 26 and 30 and September 1, have returned positive detection of the virus.
While the detection of the virus in sewage can be an indication of infection in the community, it is reported that people can shed the virus several weeks after they are no longer infectious.
An infected person can also shed virus in their faeces even if they do not have any symptoms.
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