25 August 2021
A COVID-19 testing sweep will commence 9am tomorrow on Palm Island following a positive wastewater result detected on 22 August.
Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said taking this precautionary step was vital in ensuring no active cases are on the island.
“We were notified today of a recent positive wastewater result on Palm Island,” Dr Young said.
“As always, the fragments could either indicate the presence of an undiagnosed case of COVID-19 in the community or that a case who is no longer infectious is still shedding fragments of the virus.
“It is likely it is a persistent shedder who’s attended the island and may or may not still be there, but we must be absolutely cautious, and get people with symptoms tested as soon as possible.
“The Townsville Hospital and Health Service will be sending a team out to rollout the testing of symptomatic people starting 9am tomorrow.
“Anyone with even the mildest of symptoms should come forward to be tested and minimise their movements until they get a negative result.
“It’s really important that anyone who has had been on Palm Island and is no longer there gets themselves tested as well if they have any symptoms.
“I’m pleased to say 80 per cent of First Nations people aged 16 or older on Palm Island are vaccinated with at least one dose, and 35 per cent have had two doses.
“Residents aged 12 or older who have not yet been vaccinated can access their first dose on 31 August, when the outreach team heads back to island.
“As always, anyone in Queensland with any symptoms of COVID-19, no matter how mild, please get tested as soon as possible.”
Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, fatigue, diarrhoea, nausea or vomiting, and loss of taste or smell.
A list of testing facilities are listed at www.qld.gov.au/covid19testing.
ENDS
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