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NSW Health has revealed a person with COVID-19 visited two Riverina communities, including Wagga, and has pleaded with people to come forward for testing.
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Details of the potential exposure emerged as it was announced the Murrumbidgee Local Health District's run of more than a year without a COVID-19 case had come to an end.
Two new cases of the virus were reported in the MLHD in the 24 hours to 8pm on Tuesday.
The MLHD said both cases are residents from Albury local government area.
"One case is being cared for in Victoria and the other is isolating in Albury. Urgent case investigations and contact tracing is under way," the MLHD said.
It is unclear at this stage if the cases mean Albury will go into lockdown, with NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro having previously said if a case emerges in a local government area it will be subject to stay-at-home rules.
Walk-in testing is available in at Lavington Hall (Sunday to Thursday from 9am to 5pm) and the Albury Showgrounds (Monday to Saturday 8am to 1pm).
The MLHD's public health unit is also investigating locations of concern in Wagga and Young.
An essential worker who was in Wagga from August 30 to September 3, and in Young from September 3 to September 7, has tested positive for COVID-19.
Anyone in Wagga who has any symptoms of COVID-19 is asked to get tested at the drive-through clinic at the Equex Centre or at the Murray Street testing clinic.
IN OTHER NEWS
Walk-in testing is available in Young on Wednesday at the Young Town Hall from 10am to 4pm.
Testing is also available in Young at the GP-led Respiratory Clinic, 12 Boorowa Street (Wednesday - Friday). Call 02 6382 1599 to make a booking or book online at hotdoc.com.au.
Common symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose and loss of taste or smell. Other symptoms include fatigue, acute blocked nose (congestion), muscle pain, joint pain, headache, diarrhoea, nausea/vomiting, loss of appetite, unexplained chest pain and conjunctivitis.
For additional testing locations go to www.mlhd.nsw.gov.au, or for help accessing a test call the Murrumbidgee COVID-19 Hotline 1800 831 099.
The positive cases come after fragments of COVID-19 were detected in sewage at Young on two occasions, prompting calls for an uptake in testing.
The latest sample was collected in Young on Sunday, and announced as positive on Tuesday morning.
It followed a positive detection in a previous sample taken on September 7 and announced at the weekend.
RELATED COVID NEWS
On Wednesday morning, NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said sewage surveillance had been incredibly reliable in giving authorities early warnings in relation to cases.
"We have had sewage detection in Young and I can report today that we have identified a person who spent time while infectious in Wagga Wagga, Young and Mudgee," Dr Chant said.
"I call upon all those communities to be vigilant for symptoms and NSW Health website will be updated with contact and exposure venues.
"It is very important given we have had those sewage detections in Young, we have now confirmed that through that testing increase in that site that we've identified a person who's been infectious while in [those communities]."
The MLHD cases were among the 1259 new locally acquired cases statewide in the 24 hours to 8pm on Tuesday. The cases were from the following health districts:
- 366 are from South Western Sydney Local Health District (LHD)
- 310 are from Western Sydney LHD, 172 are from Sydney LHD
- 156 are from South Eastern Sydney LHD
- 82 are from Nepean Blue Mountains LHD
- 46 are from Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD
- 38 are from Northern Sydney LHD
- 27 are from Hunter New England LHD
- 11 are from Central Coast LHD
- 10 are from Far West LHD
- six are from Western NSW LHD
- seven are from Southern LHD
- two are from Murrumbidgee LHD
- 10 are in correctional settings
- 16 cases are yet to be assigned to an LHD
Meanwhile, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, who addressed the media from outside the Qudos Bank Arena mass vaccination hub, said the state would reach the 80 per cent single-dose vaccination milestone on Wednesday.
Across NSW, 79.5 per cent of the over-16 population had received a first dose COVID-19 vaccine, and 47.5 per cent were fully vaccinated to 11.59pm on Monday.
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