Shock COVID find in Adelaide wastewater

SA deputy chief health officer Dr Chris Lease said the findings need to serve as a reminder to all South Australians remaining vigilant and maintain social distancing and personal hygiene.The wastewater results from Thursday and Friday are specific to the CBD area that services some 12,000 residents.The area is also home to many hotels including the Pullman Hotel at Adelaide airport which is used to quarantine international arrivals, Dr Lease said. “It’s a very strong reading that we have identified,” Dr Lease told the media on Sunday.“It’s a very good reminder that we stay on top of our vigilance of COVID-19.”There was the possibility that the fragments of coronavirus found in wastewater are from a person who has previously had COVID-19 and was simply shedding fragments.However, without wanting to be an alarmist, Dr Lease said the strength of the test is what has raised concerns.“It’s possibly that this positive test could be an old case, it could be someone still shedding the virus,” he said.“This is a very strong reading we have identified.”He said there were going to conduct resampling overnight on the results to see if anything more can be ascertained to the strong reading being from a new or old case of COVID-19.“The wastewater system of testing is very much an early warning system,“ he said, “Our investigation needs to continue.“We need to make sure we can rule out, or rule in, whatever the results of the investigation takes.”The concerning wastewater results come as Dr Lease announced no new cases overnight following more than 2270 tests.There are three active cases in the state.