Victorian Premier Dan Andrews has released a statement confirming that fragments of the virus that causes coronavirus were detected in untreated wastewater taken from Portland and Benalla wastewater treatment plants on Tuesday, November 17.
The preliminary positive test results received yesterday are unexpected and concerning given there are no residents of either area known to have had a recent coronavirus illness or diagnosis.
Residents of Portland and Benalla and anyone who has visited between November 15 and 17 with any symptoms at all are urged to get tested, and to isolate until they get their result.
Hours will be extended at local testing sites for the coming days, with additional testing capacity to be made available. Further wastewater samples are being taken from those two towns – and this detection has no impact on local water supplies.
More to come.