Queensland suburbs put on alert as Covid-19 fragments are found in sewage - here are the at risk areas
Queenslanders have been urged to watch for symptoms of Covid-19 after the virus was found in sewage in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast.
The fragments were detected in wastewater treatment plants at Gibson Island, Luggage Point, Wynnum, Capalaba and Loganholme in Brisbane this week.
Wastewater samples in the Gold Coast suburbs of Pimpama and Coombabah also tested positive to coronavirus.
A health care worker tests people at a COVID-19 drive through testing clinic at Murarrie in Brisbane. Muarrie includes Gibson Island, which is one of seven QLD suburbs put on alert for Covid-19 after viral fragments were found in sewage
Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said people in these areas need to be vigilant for symptoms of Covid-19
'I continue to urge anyone who feels unwell in these communities to get tested and isolate,' Dr Young said.
'Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, fatigue, diarrhoea, nausea or vomiting, and loss of taste or smell.
'If there is a case we are not yet aware of, it is critical we detect it through our testing mechanisms as quickly as possible to contain any potential spread.'
She said the sewage detection 'does not mean we have new cases of Covid-19 in these communities'.
'We are treating these detections with absolute caution, especially considering the Hotel Grand Chancellor cluster,' Dr Young said.
'A positive sewage result means that someone who has been infected was shedding the virus.
'Infected people can shed viral fragments and that shedding can happen for several weeks after the person is no longer infectious.'
Local residents exercise near Southbank, Brisbane during the three-day lockdown on Monday. Queensland suburbs Gibson Island, Luggage Point, Wynnum, Capalaba, Loganholme, Pimpama and Coombabah have been put on alert
Luggage Point in Brisbane is one of five suburbs in the city put on alert
The warning comes after Queensland reported three new cases of coronavirus on Friday - two in hotel quarantine and one historical case.
The historical case was a man from Cairns who caught the virus weeks ago.
He is no longer infectious but the virus can shed for up to nine months.
A total of 129 detainees evacuated from the Grand Chancellor Hotel have all tested negative for coronavirus after the UK super strain leaked on the seventh floor earlier this month.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she is still investigating using Outback mining camps instead of Brisbane hotels to quarantine returned travellers.
The state will propose the option to National Cabinet next Friday after coronavirus spread from a returned traveller in hotel quarantine, infecting a cleaner and two other travellers.
Premier Palaszczuk is still considering using mining camps instead of hotels to quarantine
Brisbane's Grand Chancellor Hotel was evacuated on Wednesday as officials scrambled to work out how the UK super-strain of Covid-19 was transmitted on the seventh floor.
Police are investigating by checking CCTV and engineers are checking if virus particles travelled in the air conditioning.
A total of 129 travellers, some of whom were just an hour from being released, have been forced to restart their two-week quarantine in new hotels.
Some 226 employees who have worked at the hotel since December 30 must also be quarantined and tested.
Premier Palaszczuk said the evacuation and re-quarantining process has been backed by Health Minster Greg Hunt and the AHPPC.
She said the mining camps she wants to use instead of hotels were comfortable and had balconies or outside space, just like the Northern Territory's Howard Springs quarantine facility.
Annastacia Palaszczuk said the mining camps she wants to use instead of hotels were comfortable and had balconies or outside space. Pictured: Stock image of a camp