Follow-up wastewater testing in southern Queensland has come back negative for coronavirus after fragments were detected in an earlier sewage test.
The positive result was found in a sample at the Pulgul wastewater treatment plant in Hervey Bay, north of Brisbane.
Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said the low-level virus fragments detected were probably due to an older case of COVID-19 that was no longer infectious.
“A negative result today doesn’t indicate a false positive in the previous test, nor does either result confirm the presence or absence of an unidentified confirmed case in the community,” Dr Young said.
The result comes as Queensland prepares to further re-open its borders, with ACT travellers welcomed next week and the number of international arrivals to double by the end of October.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has struck a deal with ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr to allow travellers from the nation’s capital to freely enter Queensland via air from 1am on September 25, provided they haven’t visited a COVID-19 hotspot.
The border is only open to air travellers and anyone coming from NSW via Canberra will have to wait 14 days before entering, Dr Young says.
Queensland will also lift its quota on international arrivals from 500 to 1000 by October 24, with the government calling for expressions of interest from Brisbane and Cairns hotels to take returnees.
No new cases were recorded in the Sunshine State on Friday, with 5751 tests conducted in the previous 24 hours and active infections falling to 25. It has been eight days since a community transmission.
Australian Associated Press