THE WA Department of Health is calling on people in the Broome township area to get tested if they have Covid-19 symptoms after the state’s wastewater surveillance program detected weak traces of the virus in Broome township.
People in Yanchep and surrounding suburbs have told Yanchep News Online they were holidaying in Broome in the past week.
A Department of Health spokeswoman said people who were in Broome on August 4 should get tested if they develop symptoms.
The unexpected finding does not necessarily indicate there is a positive case in the community.
But people (regardless of age) with even the mildest of symptoms are asked to get tested as soon as possible as a precaution.
Symptoms of Covid-19 include fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, shortness of breath, headache and loss of smell or taste.
In a statement today the department said once tested, people should return home and remain there until a negative test result was received.
Covid-19 testing in Broome is available at Broome Hospital, corner of Anne and Robinson streets.
The clinic is open until 8pm tonight and from 8am-8pm on Saturday and Sunday.
The Department of Health asks people to be vigilant if they have symptoms and to get tested, but not to panic.
Finding traces of the virus in wastewater samples could mean there are active cases nearby; an active case has passed through the area recently; or that a historical case has recently been in the area – people can continue to shed the virus for several weeks after they recover from Covid-19, even when they are no longer infectious.
The Department of Health, Water Corporation, PathWest and the WA Country Health Service will continue to monitor the situation and wastewater results from the area and will act swiftly if further action is required.
This is a timely reminder that C-19 is real, and people should get vaccinated as soon as they are eligible, as well as sign in at all venues using the SafeWA app or paper register.
By 6.08pm CEST on August 5 there were more than 200 million confirmed cases of Covid-19, including 4.2m deaths, reported to the World health Organization.
As of August 4, more than 3.9 billion vaccine doses have been administered.
