Fragments of COVID have been found in Cooma and Merimbula's sewage in southern New South Wales for a second time in less than a week, prompting an urgent call from health authorities for locals to get tested.
NSW Health announced that the virus was again found in Cooma, just days after COVID-19 was first detected in the town's sewage.
Merimbula's treatment plant also confirmed a second detection on Saturday after health authorities announced on Wednesday that viral fragments were identified.
The treatment plants in Cooma and Merimbula serve a combined 23,000 people.
The Southern NSW Local Health District executive director of medical services Liz Mullins says she is concerned not enough people are coming forward to get tested.
Only 120 tests were recorded on Saturday at Merimbula's pop-up clinic at Club Sapphire.
"We were really quite disappointed with the number of testing numbers in our pop-up clinic," she said.
It comes as NSW today recorded 1,218 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases in the 24 hours to 8:00pm on Saturday night, a new daily record for the state.
Dr Mullins says the latest detection of viral fragments in sewage in Merimbula and Cooma may be connected to the ACT's outbreak.
"There is a higher chance than normal that there may be someone with COVID in the community.
"The only way for us to know that is if people get tested if they're feeling unwell."
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NSW Health says the detection of COVID-19 fragments in areas with no known cases is a concern because it could signal undetected cases in the community.
"We're concerned that there may be cases unrecognised in these communities," said NSW Health's Jeremy McAnulty.
Dr Mullins says the positive detection in Merimbula and Cooma may also indicate the virus is still in the process of shedding from someone's body.
"We need to use this as an important caution."
Testing clinics opened in Cooma at the Cooma Showgrounds on Cromwell Street and at Jindabyne's HealthOne carpark on Thredbo Terrace.
Drive-through testing was also available in Merimbula at the Club Sapphire car park and the South East Regional Hospital in Bega.
