DARETON residents have been urged to get tested for COVID-19, irrespective of whether they have symptoms, following persistent evidence of viral fragments in the town’s sewage.
The township has yet to register a positive COVID-19 case, however recent sewage traces have raised concerns that there is undetected disease in the community.
The most recent unexpected positive detection at the Dareton sewage treatment plant was last Thursday.
The findings have prompted the Far West Local Health District (FWLHD) to encourage all Dareton residents to get tested.
There have been successive positive detections of COVID-19 fragments from the treatment plant, which serves about 500 people, following testing conducted on September 16, 20, 21 and 23.
There have been no detections at either the Wentworth or Gol Gol sewage treatment plants.
FWLHD chief executive Umit Agis encouraged all Dareton residents to get tested.
“With four positive sewage detections in a row, we are very concerned that COVID-19 is in the Dareton community,” Mr Agis said.
“I urge everyone in the Dareton region to come out for testing, regardless of symptoms,” he said.
Concerns were raised weeks ago that Sunraysia’s Indigenous community may have been impacted by the virus following revelations that “many” local residents attended the same funeral in Wilcannia, where a community transfer of the virus took place.
The Wilcannia outbreak has since grown to 147 from a population of just over 700 residents, about 60 per cent of whom are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people.
FWLHD on Sunday reported a further five confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Broken Hill, taking the town’s total number of reported cases to 88.
FWLHD also began surveillance COVID-19 testing in Dareton as part of an effort to increase the region’s testing rates.
Under the new measures, Dareton residents who do not have COVID-19 symptoms can be tested, but will not need to isolate while awaiting their test results.
Those who are symptomatic, or live with someone who has symptoms or are contacts of someone with COVID-19, will still need to isolate until negative test results are received.
Residents in other areas of FWLHD will still need to isolate until they receive negative test results.
Daily pop-up COVID-19 testing clinics will be held at George Gordon Oval, Dareton, from 10am to 2.30pm and Gol Gol Football Oval, Carramar Drive, from 10am to 2.30pm, as well as the Wentworth Showgrounds from 9am to 3pm Monday to Friday and from 10am to 2pm on Saturday and Sunday.
Mildura’s active COVID-19 cases remained at four with no new cases detected on Saturday.
The Victorian Government announced on Sunday further easing of restrictions in regional Victoria from midnight Tuesday, including an increase on venue caps in outdoor settings for restaurants and cafes from 20 to 30 people.
Follow-up plan for second doses
MORE than 600 people in the Wentworth LGA who were administered their first dose of Pfizer vaccine in a joint operation by Far West Local Health District and the Australian Medical Assistance Team (AUSMAT) will be eligible for their second dose when the team returns to the area this week.
Community members who qualify for the second clinic and wish to receive their second Pfizer dose will need to attend the same venue where their first dose was given.
The FWLHD and AUSMAT will deliver the Pfizer second vaccination dose only for those who received their first Pfizer COVID-19 dose they visit on from September 6 to September 8 in Wentworth Shire.
Community members who qualify for the second clinic and wish to receive their second Pfizer dose will need to attend the same venue where their first dose was given on the dates below:
First dose received on Monday, September 6 – Namatjira Reserve: Attend Monday, September 27.
First dose received on Tuesday, September 7 – Dareton Library: Attend Tuesday, September 28.
First dose received on Wednesday, September 8 – Wentworth Showgrounds: Attend Wednesday, September 29, or Thursday, September 30.
All clinic times are 9am to 4pm and bookings are not required.
Anyone unable to attend the venues on those dates for the second vaccine dose will be required to make an appointment at the Buronga Midway Centre by calling 1800 602 001 or emailing FWLHD-CommunityVaccination@health.nsw.gov.au to book.
For people who still require first doses, FWLHD is providing weekly clinics at the Buronga Midway Centre by appointment only.
Call 1800 602 001 or email FWLHD-CommunityVaccination@health.nsw.gov.au to book.
