High Testing Rates Must Continue

Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast Adam Crouch is urging local residents to continue getting tested, with the latest figures revealing over 3,000 tests have been conducted at Gosford and Wyong Hospitals in the past week.

“There are currently 23 exposure sites on the Central Coast where hundreds, if not thousands, of people have potentially been exposed to COVID-19,” Mr Crouch said.

“I want to thank everyone identified as a casual or close contact who responded by taking a COVID-19 test.

“Every close contact is also required to undergo subsequent tests on days seven and 12 of their two week self-isolation.”

Mr Crouch said the detection of COVID-19 in Toukley’s sewerage plant last Thursday is causing concern for Health authorities.

“There are 29,000 people living in 13 suburbs serviced by the Toukley sewerage plant, including Budgewoi and Toukley, who are being asked to remain on high alert,” Mr Crouch said.

“With no known active cases in these suburbs, this detection is particularly concerning to the Central Coast’s Public Health Unit.

“High rates of testing are the only way that Health authorities can track down cases of COVID-19 silently circulating in our community.

“The Delta strain is many times more contagious than previous strains of COVID-19, and this is why we cannot afford to be complacent.”

The common symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, sore or scratchy throat, runny nose, shortness of breath and loss of taste or smell.

In the past week, a total of 3,527 tests have been conducted at Gosford and Wyong Hospitals, which is a 243% increase on the previous week. This is in addition to thousands of tests conducted at 13 privately operated clinics across the Central Coast.