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<p class="x_MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif""> Media [mailto:Media@begavalley.nsw.gov.au]
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<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, 15 September 2021 12:20 PM<br>
<b>Subject:</b> MEDIA RELEASE - COVID fragments detected at Bermagui sewage treatment plant</span></p>
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<p class="x_MediaTitle" align="left" style="text-align:left"><a name="x__Hlk81380990"><b><span style="font-size:28.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; text-transform:none">COVID fragments detected at Bermagui sewage treatment plant</span></b></a><b><span style="font-size:28.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""></span></b></p>
<p class="x_MediaText"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">15 September 2021</span></b></p>
<p class="x_MediaText" style="line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; color:#262626">NSW Health has advised that fragments of the COVID-19 virus have been detected at the Bermagui sewage treatment plant. The sample
was taken on 12 September.</span></p>
<p class="x_MediaText" style="line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; color:#262626">This is the first detection at the Bermagui plant, which serves about 1,800 people.</span></p>
<p class="x_MediaText" style="line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; color:#262626">Bega Valley Shire Mayor, Russell Fitzpatrick said it is concerning that COVID fragments have now been found in all our sewage
treatment plants over the last four weeks.</span></p>
<p class="x_MediaText" style="line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; color:#262626">\u201cAs more fragments are found across the shire, the possibility of there being unknown local cases increases,\u201d Cr Fitzpatrick
said.</span></p>
<p class="x_MediaText" style="line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; color:#262626">\u201cIf you live in Bermagui or the surrounding areas including Wallaga Lake, Fairhaven and Akolele, or in fact anywhere in the shire,
and you have the slightest hint of cold-like symptoms, you need to get tested.</span></p>
<p class="x_MediaText" style="line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; color:#262626">\u201cThis means if you are experiencing symptoms such as headache, nausea, sore throat, runny nose, cough, loss of smell or taste,
or fever, you must get tested and isolate until a negative result is received.\u201d</span></p>
<p class="x_MediaText" style="line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; color:#262626">Council is sending samples from the sewage treatment plants in Eden, Bermagui, Merimbula and Bega, twice weekly to NSW Health
for testing.</span></p>
<p class="x_MediaText" style="line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; color:black">Testing facilities and hours can be found at</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; color:#262626">
</span><a href="http://www.snswlhd.health.nsw.gov.au/our-services/infectious-disease/covid-19-testing"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">www.snswlhd.health.nsw.gov.au/our-services/infectious-disease/covid-19-testing</span></a><span class="x_MsoHyperlink"></span></p>
<p class="x_MediaText" style="line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">COVID-19 cases and venues of concern are published on the Southern NSW Local Health District website at
</span><a href="http://www.snswlhd.health.nsw.gov.au/our-services/infectious-disease/covid-19-venues-of-concern"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">www.snswlhd.health.nsw.gov.au/our-services/infectious-disease/covid-19-venues-of-concern</span></a><span class="x_MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""></span></span></p>
<p class="x_MediaText" style="line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">For the latest COVID-19 updates and advice, go to
</span><a href="https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19</span></a><span style="color:#262626"></span></p>
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<p class="x_MediaText" style="line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; color:#262626"> </span></p>
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<b><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; color:#262626">END</span></b><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; color:#262626"></span></b></p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt; color:#499FC8">Skye Owen</span></b><span style="font-size:10.5pt; color:#333333"><br>
<i>Communications Officer</i><br>
<br>
PO Box 492, Bega NSW 2550<br>
</span><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt; color:#499FC8">M. 0427 013 492</span></b><span style="font-size:10.5pt; color:#333333"><br>
</span><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt; color:#499FC8">E.</span></b><span style="font-size:10.5pt; color:#333333">
<a href="mailto:sowen@begavalley.nsw.gov.au">s<span style="font-size:11.0pt">owen</span>@begavalley.nsw.gov.au</a><br>
<br>
</span><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt; color:#499FC8"><a href="http://www.begavalley.nsw.gov.au"><span style="color:#499FC8; text-decoration:none">www.begavalley.nsw.gov.au</span></a></span></b><span style="font-size:10.5pt; color:#333333">
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