COVID-19 fragments found in Cairns North sewage, new pop-up vaccine clinics

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Viral fragments of COVID-19 have been detected in Cairns wastewater during routine testing this week.

It is the first positive detection since the region's lockdown in early August, when taxi driver was infectious in the community for 10 days. 

The fragments were detected in the Cairns North catchment, which services Cairns City to Holloways Beach and west to Redlynch.

It also covers several inner-city suburbs including Portsmith, Parramatta Park, Manoora and Edge Hill.

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Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service (CHHHS) detected the viral fragments on Tuesday.

CHHHS public health medical officer Dr Annie Preston-Thomas said while the positive result could indicate a historic case that’s no longer infectious, it could also be an “early warning.”

“It is definitely a concern, although it’s hard to say if it represents an infectious person in the community or somebody who’s recovered and is still just shedding those viral fragments,” she said.

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“It’s the heads up that there may be somebody who is infectious in our community at the moment.

“The last time that we had viral fragments detected in the sewerage system it heralded the last two cases of community acquired COVID-19.”

A Queensland Health spokesperson told Tropic Now there’s been no positive COVID-19 cases recorded in Cairns hotel quarantine since August.

Dr Preston-Thomas said the positive detection is reminder to anybody with COVID-19 symptoms to go and get tested. 

“If anybody does have symptoms that could be COVID-19 – so runny nose, cough, short of breath, loss of taste or smell – please go and get tested,” she said.

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“I would encourage anybody who hasn’t been vaccinated yet to get vaccinated and to encourage their family and friends to get vaccinated.

“The vaccines help your body to develop an immune response to the virus.

“The vaccines don’t contain the virus itself.”

CHHHS is this weekend hosting several pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinics, including at two Bunnings stores and another at Tanks Arts Centre.  

From 8am to midday this Saturday, 16 October, residents can snag both a sausage and a Pfizer dose from Bunnings stores in Smithfield and Atherton.

Anyone over the age 12 is eligible, and no appointments are necessary.

A pop-up clinic will also be in operation at the Cairns Pride Festival Fair Day at Tanks Arts Centre on Sunday, 17 October.

The latest federal government health data shows that 69.2 per cent of people aged 15 and over have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, in the Cairns statistical area 4 region.

54.7 per cent are fully vaccinated.

Vaccination rates among Cairns’ identified Indigenous population are less than half that.

Just 33.38 per cent have received at least one dose, while 23.50 per cent are fully vaccinated.

CHHHS delivered 220 vaccine doses during a three-day door-knocking blitz through Yarrabah this week.