Southern NSW Local Health District (LHD) is urging the Queanbeyan and Cooma communities to get tested with even the mildest of COVID-19 symptoms, following the detection of fragments of the virus in the local sewage systems in the last 48 hours.
The presence of these fragments in the Queanbeyan and Cooma sewage treatment plants could signal undetected cases in these communities. The Cooma sewage treatment plant serves approximately 8,000 people. The Queanbeyan sewage treatment plan serves approximately 40,000 people.
The NSW Sewage Surveillance Program tests untreated sewage for fragments of the COVID-19 virus at sewage treatment plant locations across NSW.
The District urges people in the area to be alert for any cold-like symptoms that could signal COVID‑19, including headache, nausea, sore throat, runny nose, cough, loss of smell or taste, or fever. If symptoms appear, people must isolate and get tested immediately, and remain isolated until a negative result is received.
Expanded testing hours will be available in Cooma and Jindabyne.
The expanded testing will run at Cooma Showgrounds (drive through), Cromwell St, Cooma, Friday to Sunday, 7am - 7pm.
Testing will be available at Jindabyne HealthOne carpark, 5 Thredbo Terrace, Jindabyne, Friday to Sunday, 8am - 3pm.
Drive through testing is available at Seiffert Oval, 36 Thurralilly Street Queanbeyan, operated by Histopath, Monday to Sunday, 7am – 5pm.
Queanbeyan District Hospital offers walk-in testing at 107 Collett St, Queanbeyan, Monday to Sunday, 8am – 4pm. Entry at the rear of the hospital with dedicated parking on Collett Street.
