Tauranga residents on alert after Covid detected in wastewater

September 28, 2021

There was Covid in a test taken on September 23, Ashley Bloomfield says.

Tauranga residents are urged to get a Covid test if symptomatic after ESR wastewater testing detected a positive result from a sample collected on September 23.

Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said further samples from the wider nearby area were taken this morning and results are expected on Thursday.

Bloomfield said unexpected wastewater results can be due to a "recovered case there who is excreting viral fragments or an undetected acute case". 

He said usual protocols would be to wait for a second test but given the outbreak relates to the Delta outbreak in Auckland, health officials are "appealing" to those in the region to get a test if symptomatic or have visited a location of interest. 

He said the testing areas also included the Mt Maunganui region.

Testing centres in the region will be open for extended hours today, and more pop-up clinics will open tomorrow.

There was Covid in a test taken on September 23, Ashley Bloomfield says.

Bloomfield said essential workers travelling across the Auckland border would need to be up to date with regular testing. 

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