TORONTO and Raymond Terrace have returned sewage detections for COVID-19, adding to concerns that the Hunter outbreak continues to spread beyond the cases found to date.
Hunter New England Health said on Wednesday it had detected the virus in those two areas for the first time, and that Shortland and Burwood catchments had also returned positive detection.
Public health physician Dr David Durrheim said sewage detection was "a critical part" of tracking the virus.
"Sewage surveillance preceded our detection of the first cases in Kurri Kurri, Newcastle and Lake Macquarie and so wherever sewage detects occur, we have to take them very seriously," he said.
"The new detects in the Toronto area and the Raymond Terrace area should really prompt the communities in those areas not to ignore even the mildest of symptoms.
"Please go out, get tested and isolate until you get a negative result."
Upper Hunter Shire Council said on Wednesday that NSW Health would expand its testing to encompass Scone for a two-week period.
General manager Greg McDonald said the council was pleased to be included in the system that delivered Newcastle's first warning before case numbers began to grow.
He said NSW Health had decided to extend only to Scone, not the other Upper Hunter sewerage networks.
"With recent COVID-19 outbreaks in neighbouring shires, it is great to see NSW Health undertaking this testing to monitor for any early warning signs of the virus," Mr McDonald said.
"It is important to remember that testing for COVID-19 fragments in sewage is a specialised test and currently in high demand across the state.
"Testing locations are decided based on areas of concern with advice from the NSW Chief Health Officer and other NSW Health officials."
Scone testing begins on August 16.
