NSW goes 11 days with no new local COVID-19 cases, but sewage testing finds traces
NSW has recorded no recent cases of locally transmitted COVID-19 for the 11th day in a row, but health authorities remain concerned about local spread with low testing numbers and traces of the virus appearing in sewage.
Low testing numbers and sewage detection could also affect Queensland's decision on the border, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said.
The testing clinic at Bondi Beach was empty on Monday afternoon, despite the crowds at the beach.Credit:Edwina Pickles
NSW recorded 11 new cases to 8pm on Monday, all in overseas travellers in hotel quarantine. It brings the total number of cases in NSW to 4057.
On Tuesday morning, Ms Palaszczuk said NSW would have to record widespread community transmission before the border was again slammed shut.
Queensland will reopen its border with NSW on November 1, provided the state goes 28 days without recording an instance of community transmission.
"If we started to see what happened in Victoria initially, that would be, of course, concerning," Ms Palaszczuk said.
Ms Palaszczuk said Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young takes into account the testing rates, sewage testing and rates of community transmission when making a decision on borders.
Testing numbers in NSW remain well below 10,000. The state reported 5385 tests reported in the latest reporting period, and 4789 the previous day, NSW Health spokeswoman Christine Selvey said.
"Testing numbers have dropped recently, which is a concern,” she said.
"We are appealing to the community to come forward for testing right away if you have even the mildest of symptoms like a runny nose, scratchy throat, cough, fever or any other symptoms that could be COVID-19.”
NSW health authorities were also worried there could be active and as yet undetected cases in the Hawkesbury and south-west Sydney regions.
Dr Selvey said NSW Health particularly wants people living in those areas to come forward for testing, after the state’s sewage surveillance system picked up fragments of the virus at the North Richmond and West Camden treatment plants.
"Virus fragments can mean that there are active cases in the catchment area, but people can continue to shed viral genetic material for some weeks after recovery," Dr Selvey said.
The most recent cases reported in the West Camden catchment area were in September, but Dr Selvey said no one living in the North Richmond area had recently tested positive.
Earlier on Tuesday morning, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian again criticised Queensland's criteria for reopening to her state, stating there was no plan in place for what happened if NSW got a case after clearing the 28-day threshold.
"If you apply [those] criteria: what's the next step?" Ms Berejiklian said on WSFM's Jonesy & Amanda show.
Ms Berejiklian said she doubted NSW would reach the 28-day mark, and borders should instead be open to all states bar Victoria with COVID-safe regulations and proper contact tracing helping to stop the spread of future outbreaks.
"Victoria's an exception," she said of border reopenings. "I don't think Victoria is out of the woods yet."
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Rachel Clun is a journalist at The Sydney Morning Herald.
Lydia Lynch is Queensland political reporter for the Brisbane Times
Mary Ward is a reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald.