Today's DHHS update from the Chief Health Officer, has announced that a weak detection of viral fragments of Covid-19, were detected in wastewater from Warrnambool on January 27, which has been confirmed following further analysis.

As a result South West Healthcare is urging anyone with COVID-like symptoms who lives in, or visited, Warrnambool between January 25–27 to get tested straight away.

"This is a timely reminder that our communities need to remain vigilant. Anyone experiencing even the mildest COVID symptoms must get tested" said SWH CEO Craig Fraser.

The update also confirmed that Victoria had recorded a 27th consecutive day with no new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in Victoria.

Warrnambool isn't the only location that viral fragments have been detected in wastewater samples, with recent detection in Castlemaine, Cowes, Pakenham, Gisborne, Hamilton and Leongatha.

The detection of viral fragments in wastewater does not always mean there’s an active case of COVID-19 in the area, viral fragments in wastewater can be due to an active infectious case but it can also be due to someone who has recovered from COVID continuing to ‘shed’ the virus.

Prolonged viral shedding periods can be a feature of coronavirus infection so it's not unusual to detect low-level viral fragments in wastewater.

Wastewater samples are taken at least weekly from 95 wastewater monitoring locations across Victoria, including 70 wastewater treatment plants, for early-warning of coronavirus.

More information can be found via https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/latest-news-and-data-coronavirus-covid-19.