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Ballarat's wastewater has again been given the all-clear following last week's tests that detected COVID-19 in the city's sewage.
The return of tests at the Ballarat South plant from Monday this week, the fourth round of tests since the initial detection, did not show any virus fragments in the sewage.
However, there have not been any tests conducted at the Ballarat North plant since August 29, according to the health department website.
Ballarat, along with much of regional Victoria, is waiting to see if lockdown rules will be eased this week.
Premier Daniel Andrews on Tuesday said last week's positive wastewater test in Ballarat was unlikely to impact any possible easing of restrictions.
An announcement on potential changes could be made as early as today.
EARLIER, TUESDAY 11AM
Ballarat Health Services chief executive Dale Fraser says detection of coronavirus fragments in Ballarat wastewater was concerning but did not yet mean COVID was circulating in the community.
Mr Fraser, speaking to media on Tuesday morning, said typically such results were the result of someone travelling through the region.
But BHS would work with Central Highlands Water and the Victorian health department to continue to monitor water quality closely.
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"Every time there is a positive, we are concerned clearly because we do then want to make sure we do everything we can to protect our community," Mr Fraser said.
"Every time there is a spike, or the ACU [COVID positive] case over the weekend, we go into a particular action plan and hopefully come out the other side in a way that hopefully is in a way we would like it to be.
"Shepparton is an example . There was a number of spikes in their water for several days before a positive case was discovered, so we want to be as proactive as we can in that space. Clearly we don't want to have that scenario in Ballarat because it's quite disruptive and quite traumatic for those involved."
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, the "unexpected detection" occurred in the last seven days at the Ballarat South water treatment plant.
It is the only unexpected detection in Victoria and was detected on Monday, August 30.
Mr Fraser said repeated spikes or "spikes of a certain grade" in cOronavirus fragments would escalate a health response in the region.
You can see all the testing sites here.
This comes as Ballarat Health Services celebrates 100,000 COVID-19 vaccination jabs in the Grampians region.
While COVID cases are centres in Melbourne, there are spot cases in Geelong, including a small cluster linked to tradies working in Melbourne.
EARLIER
Coronavirus fragments have been detected in Ballarat wastewater.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, the "unexpected detection" occurred in the last seven days at the Ballarat South water treatment plant.
It is currently the only unexpected detection in Victoria and was detected on Monday, August 30.
The suburbs that feed into the Ballarat South plant include: Ballarat, Ballarat East, Brown Hill, Canadian, Golden Point, Mt Clear, Buninyong, Sebastopol, Lucas, Alfredton, Lake Wendouree, Redan, Delacombe, Bonshaw and Enfield.
There were three subsequent negative test results conducted at the Central Highlands Water treatment plant after the initial detection.
There is likely to be further testing conducted in the Ballarat area.
The detection of the virus in the wastewater does not necessarily mean the virus is circulating in Ballarat.
However, there were multiple detections in Shepparton before the current outbreak was confirmed.
The news comes after a trainee nurse who later tested positive to COVID attended Ballarat's Australian Catholic University campus last week.
According to the health department, a positive wastewater result can be either an infectious case existing in the area, or somebody still shedding the virus who is no longer infectious.
Ballarat has not had a confirmed case this year.
However, there were 246 confirmed cases in Victoria yesterday, the biggest daily tally since 2020.
"Viral fragments in wastewater can be due to an active infectious case but it can also be due to someone who has had COVID-19 continuing to 'shed' the virus," the DHHS website reads.
"While they may not be considered infectious, it can take several weeks for someone to stop shedding the virus. The person or people shedding the virus may be local or visiting the area. Persons shedding the virus may or may not have or have had symptoms."
You can read more about wastewater testing here.
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