Bega Valley Shire Mayor Russell Fitzpatrick has confirmed the Bega Sewage Treatment Plant will be included in the NSW COVID-19 Surveillance Program as of next week.
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The news comes a day after questions by Australian Community Media determined that while NSW Health had requested twice-weekly samples from Merimbula, Eden and Bermagui sewage treatment plants, Bega's was not included.
"Their advice is that testing Eden, Merimbula and Bermagui offers the best shire coverage," the council told ACM on Thursday, August 26.
On Friday, council said NSW Health had approved a request to expand the sampling area to Bega following detection of COVID-19 virus fragments at the Merimbula Sewage Treatment Plant on Wednesday.
Staff at the Bega plant will begin providing samples to the NSW Health Water Unit on Monday, August 30, adding to other sampling sites in Merimbula, Eden and Bermagui.
Cr Fitzpatrick said the move to include Bega in the sampling area was welcome as it covers a highly populated part of the shire.
"Including the Bega Sewage Treatment Plant as an additional sampling site will significantly increase our chances of getting an early warning should any cases emerge in the shire," Cr Fitzpatrick said.
"This again shows NSW Health are taking the potential for outbreaks in regional NSW seriously, and I would like to thank them for continuing to work with us to protect our community.
"And if you have any symptoms, even mild ones, please get tested and isolate until you have the results."
COVID virus fragments were detected in the sewage system at Merimbula in a sample taken over August 22-23.
While the region remains without a confirmed positive case, the presence of a "high level" detection in sewage had NSW Health and state MPs concerned and encouraging everyone with even the mildest of symptoms to get tested.
Bega MP Andrew Constance on Thursday night took to social media "urging Merimbula, Pambula and Tura Beach residents to come out and get tested tomorrow [Friday] and Saturday".
"Today's testing numbers weren't as high as expected. Unfortunately the odds are that someone in the community has the virus and it's critical that we see testing numbers much higher."
A drive-through testing clinic is open 8am until 4pm Friday and Saturday in the car park at Club Sapphire Merimbula.
South East Regional Hospital's drive-through testing clinic is also open Monday to Sunday 8am until 4pm.
For more information on current sewage testing sites in NSW, click here
For more information about COVID-19, including current health advice and testing locations, click here
