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Wastewater surveillance program results

Queensland Health has partnered with researchers from the University of Queensland and the CSIRO to deliver a wastewater surveillance program for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The results from this program will add to the information obtained through clinical testing and enhance Queensland Health’s already comprehensive response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Map of recent wastewater testing results

Map legend & help

This map summarises the most recent results from the last two weeks of available data.

• Recent detection
• No recent detections
• No samples taken recently

Markers may denote tests from multiple locations. Hovering over a marker will show the dates, places and results of those tests.

Click a marker or zoom in to view all test locations.

Wastewater test results for the past four weeks

Test results for previous four weeks. Last updated: 19 January 2021

	Week beginning
Location	21 Dec	28 Dec	4 Jan	11 Jan
Port Douglas	Not detected 21 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 29 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 5 January 2021 - Negative	Not detected 12 January 2021 - Negative
Marlin Coast	No samples taken	No samples taken	Not detected 5 January 2021 - Negative 6 January 2021 - Negative	Not detected 12 January 2021 - Negative 13 January 2021 - Negative
Cairns North	Detected 23 December 2020 - Positive	Detected 30 December 2020 - Positive	Not detected 5 January 2021 - Negative 6 January 2021 - Negative	Detected 12 January 2021 - Negative 13 January 2021 - Positive
Cairns South	Not detected 23 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 30 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 5 January 2021 - Negative 6 January 2021 - Negative	Not detected 12 January 2021 - Negative 13 January 2021 - Negative
Mount St John	Not detected 22 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 29 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 5 January 2021 - Negative	Not detected 12 January 2021 - Negative
Cleveland Bay	Not detected 21 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 29 December 2020 - Negative	Detected 5 January 2021 - Positive	Not detected 12 January 2021 - Negative
Condon	Not detected 21 December 2020 - Negative 22 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 29 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 5 January 2021 - Negative	Not detected 12 January 2021 - Negative 13 January 2021 - Negative
Rockhampton North	Not detected 21 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 30 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 5 January 2021 - Negative	Not detected 11 January 2021 - Negative
Cannonvale	Not detected 23 December 2020 - Negative	No samples taken	Not detected 6 January 2021 - Negative 7 January 2021 - Negative	Detected 12 January 2021 - Positive 13 January 2021 - Negative
Mackay South	Not detected 22 December 2020 - Negative	No samples taken	Not detected 5 January 2021 - Negative	Not yet tested
Bundaberg	Detected 22 December 2020 - Positive	Detected 30 December 2020 - Positive	Not detected 5 January 2021 - Negative	Not detected 12 January 2021 - Negative
Pulgul	Not detected 22 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 29 December 2020 - Negative	Detected 5 January 2021 - Positive	Not yet tested
Maryborough	Detected 21 December 2020 - Negative 22 December 2020 - Positive	Not detected 28 December 2020 - Negative 29 December 2020 - Negative	Detected 4 January 2021 - Positive 5 January 2021 - Negative	Not detected 12 January 2021 - Negative
Noosa	Not detected 22 December 2020 - Negative	No samples taken	Not detected 5 January 2021 - Negative	Not yet tested
Nambour	Detected 22 December 2020 - Positive	No samples taken	Not detected 5 January 2021 - Negative	Not yet tested
Maroochydore	Not detected 22 December 2020 - Negative	No samples taken	Not detected 5 January 2021 - Negative	Not yet tested
Kawana	Not detected 22 December 2020 - Negative	No samples taken	Not detected 5 January 2021 - Negative	Not yet tested
Caboolture South	Not detected 22 December 2020 - Negative	No samples taken	Not detected 5 January 2021 - Negative	Not yet tested
Redcliffe	Detected 22 December 2020 - Positive	No samples taken	Detected 5 January 2021 - Positive	Not yet tested
Sandgate	Not detected 23 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 30 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 7 January 2021 - Negative 8 January 2021 - Negative	Not detected 12 January 2021 - Negative
Luggage Point	Not detected 22 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 29 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 4 January 2021 - Negative 5 January 2021 - Negative	Detected 12 January 2021 - Positive 13 January 2021 - Negative
Wynnum	Detected 22 December 2020 - Positive	Not detected 28 December 2020 - Negative 29 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 4 January 2021 - Negative 5 January 2021 - Negative	Detected 13 January 2021 - Negative 12 January 2021 - Positive
Wacol	Not detected 23 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 30 December 2020 - Negative 31 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 6 January 2021 - Negative 7 January 2021 - Negative	Not yet tested
Fairfield	Detected 23 December 2020 - Positive	Not detected 31 December 2020 - Negative 30 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 6 January 2021 - Negative 7 January 2021 - Negative	Not detected 13 January 2021 - Negative 14 January 2021 - Negative
Gibson Island	Not detected 22 December 2020 - Negative	No samples taken	Detected 4 January 2021 - Positive 5 January 2021 - Negative	Detected 12 January 2021 - Negative 13 January 2021 - Positive
Thorneside	Not detected 23 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 30 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 6 January 2021 - Negative 8 January 2021 - Negative	Not detected 13 January 2021 - Negative
Capalaba	Not detected 23 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 30 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 6 January 2021 - Negative 8 January 2021 - Negative	Detected 13 January 2021 - Positive
Cleveland	Not detected 23 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 30 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 6 January 2021 - Negative 8 January 2021 - Negative	Not detected 13 January 2021 - Negative
Victoria Point	Detected 23 December 2020 - Positive	Not detected 30 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 6 January 2021 - Negative 8 January 2021 - Negative	Not detected 13 January 2021 - Negative
Oxley Creek	Detected 23 December 2020 - Positive	Not detected 30 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 7 January 2021 - Negative 6 January 2021 - Negative	Not yet tested
Goodna	Detected 23 December 2020 - Positive	Not detected 30 December 2020 - Negative 30 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 6 January 2021 - Negative 7 January 2021 - Negative	Not yet tested
Loganholme	No samples taken	Detected 29 December 2020 - Positive 30 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 5 January 2021 - Negative 6 January 2021 - Negative	Detected 12 January 2021 - Positive 13 January 2021 - Negative
Carole Park	Not detected 22 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 30 December 2020 - Negative 31 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 8 January 2021 - Negative	Not yet tested
Bundamba	Not detected 22 December 2020 - Negative	Detected 28 December 2020 - Positive 29 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 5 January 2021 - Negative 6 January 2021 - Negative	Not detected 13 January 2021 - Negative 14 January 2021 - Negative
Pimpama	Not detected 21 December 2020 - Negative 23 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 30 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 5 January 2021 - Negative	Detected 13 January 2021 - Positive 11 January 2021 - Positive
Coombabah	Not detected 24 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 30 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 4 January 2021 - Negative 5 January 2021 - Negative	Detected 11 January 2021 - Negative 13 January 2021 - Positive
Merrimac	Detected 21 December 2020 - Negative 24 December 2020 - Positive	Not detected 30 December 2020 - Negative	Not detected 4 January 2021 - Negative 6 January 2021 - Negative	Detected 11 January 2021 - Positive
Elanora	Not detected 21 December 2020 - Negative 23 December 2020 - Negative	Detected 30 December 2020 - Positive	Not detected 4 January 2021 - Negative 6 January 2021 - Negative	Not detected 11 January 2021 - Negative
Warwick	Not detected 22 December 2020 - Negative	Detected 30 December 2020 - Positive	Not detected 6 January 2021 - Negative	Not yet tested
Stanthorpe	Not detected 21 December 2020 - Negative	Detected 29 December 2020 - Positive	Not detected 5 January 2021 - Negative	Not yet tested

The detection at Bundaberg on the week starting 21 December 2020 applies to Bargara as well.

What does a detection of SARS-CoV-2 mean?

What will Queensland Health do if SARS-CoV-2 is detected?

A detection of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater will be considered carefully alongside other information available to Queensland Health, such as recent known cases of COVID-19 in that area. Typically, an expert panel will be convened by the public health unit to evaluate the circumstances surrounding each detection of SARS-CoV-2 and advise on further measures if necessary.

What should I do if SARS-CoV-2 has been detected in wastewater in my area?

Any detections highlight the importance of getting tested if you have symptoms of COVID-19. Find information about symptoms of COVID-19 and the locations of fever clinics across Queensland. Stay home and isolate until you get the results and your symptoms resolve.

In addition, please follow the advice that applies in all instances:

• Stay 1.5 metres away from other people—think two big steps.
• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use hand sanitiser after physical contact with other people or commonly touched surfaces.
• Sneeze or cough into your arm or a tissue. Then put the tissue in the bin and wash or sanitise your hands.
• Comply with current public health directions.

What does it mean when the map or the table shows "no samples taken"?

Why isn't my community included in the wastewater surveillance program?

Locations for sample collection have been chosen to represent larger population centres, popular holiday towns and some communities close to the border with NSW. New locations for collection of wastewater samples are being added in the lead up to the holiday season, so please check back to see if your community has been added to the program.

Where can I view historical results?

Queensland’s wastewater surveillance program commenced in late July 2020. Though this page shows only the most recent results, all results will be made available on the Open Data Portal in the near future.

Which wastewater treatment plant services my suburb?

If you are unsure which wastewater treatment plant services your suburb, you can view suburbs either wholly or partially serviced by the wastewater treatment plants included in this program.

Is wastewater surveillance practised in other areas?

Wastewater surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 is being or has been practised in other states in Australia, as well as in Canada, Spain, The Netherlands, New Zealand, the United States and other countries.