Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Positive wastewater result confirmed in Te Awamutu

Covid-19 has been detected in Te Awamutu's wastewater. Photo / Dean Taylor.

Te Awamutu residents have begun to queue at a Covid-19 pop-up testing station after it was announced today that the virus has been detected in the towns wastewater.

The water collection sample was taken on Tuesday, October 12 and it came from the Te Awamutu Wastewater Treatment Plant which includes flows from Te Awamutu, Kihikihi and Waikeria Prison.

A testing station has been set up by the Waikato District Health Board at the Te Awamutu Events Centre and it will operate until 5pm today.

Anyone in Te Awamutu who has symptoms is urged to get a test.

The most common symptoms of Covid-19 include a fever, cough, tiredness and a runny nose. Other symptoms may include a headache, aches and pains, diarrhoea or a skin rash.

Waikato DHB's Public Health team is investigating whether this is an indication of a new positive case, or a recovered case shedding the virus.

The queue is spilling out onto Mahoe St as residents wait to be tested. Photo / Jesse Wood.

While this work is underway, the DHB is asking people in the town to continue following the alert level 3 rules.

Waipā District Council will continue to test wastewater samples for Covid-19.

Te Awamutu is currently in alert level 3 along with the majority of the Waikato District.

There are 71 new Covid-19 cases today in the community, across Auckland.

On the spike in cases, Director of Public Health Caroline McElnay said it was "sobering but not unexpected."

There are no new cases in the Waikato today but the two cases that were announced yesterday remain unlinked.

There were 3680 swabs taken in the region yesterday.