Covid 19 Delta outbreak: People in Waikato town urged to get tested after traces of Covid found in wastewater

Locals in the Waikato town of Te Awamutu are being urged to get tested for Covid-19 after traces of the virus were found in a wastewater sample for the second time this week.

The Ministry of Health is calling on anyone in the area who has flu-like symptoms to get to a testing station immediately in a bid to find the source of the positive sample.

"The Ministry of Health has been advised by ESR of a second Covid-19 positive detection in wastewater from a sample taken from Te Awamutu on Wednesday," the ministry said in a statement late this morning.

People in Te Awamutu are urged to get tested after traces of Covid were found in a wastewater sample for the second time this week. Photo / NZ Herald

"Public officials have yet to identify anyone who returned to the area from managed isolation and quarantine and could be shedding the virus in the area.

"For this reason, anyone in the Te Awamutu area who has symptoms of Covid-19, or have family or household members who are symptomatic or anyone who travels in and out of the area regularly for work, are urged to get tested as soon as possible."

Locals who have been to any of the locations of interest identified - at the relevant times - and are now in Te Awamutu are also being urged to get a Covid test.

Earlier this week, health officials announced that traces of Covid had been found in a wastewater sample taken from the area on Tuesday.

Testing stations around the Te Awamutu area can be found at the Healthpoint website.

The ministry also took the chance to encourage people in the area to get vaccinated against Covid if they had not already done so.

A number of Super Saturday vaccination sites will be open in Te Awamutu tomorrow; including at the Te Awamutu Community Vaccination Centre on Arawata St, Marshalls Te Awamutu on Teasdale St and the Sanders Pharmacy on Cambridge Rd.