ESR’s expansion of its wastewater testing in response to the recent outbreak of COVID-19 has seen samples collected from 148 locations covering an estimated 3.8 million people, and 95 percent of the New Zealand population connected to reticulated wastewater systems.
Dr Joanne Hewitt, Senior Scientist and project co-lead at ESR said there were no unexpected detections to report based on the testing from 98 locations in the North Island and 50 locations in South Island over the past two weeks.
“The team in ESR’s Porirua laboratory and those helping with sampling and transportation around Aotearoa have pulled out all the stops to ensure there is unprecedented coverage of wastewater for testing.
“While the latest results continue to detect SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) in the Auckland region, there have been no unexpected detections around New Zealand. This includes from 26 sampling locations in Northland.”
Increased sampling in Northland took place as soon as possible following notification of the first community cases in Auckland. Over the past two weeks, samples have been taken from small populations of just over 100 to much larger areas such as Whangārei. Locations included Kerikeri, Dargaville, Hāruru, Hihi, Kaikohe, Kaitaia, Paihia, Rawene, Ruakaka and Russell. However, it is important to remember that wastewater testing doesn’t capture people who are on septic tanks.
“While we believe that it is possible to detect the virus in wastewater from potentially just a single infected person, the likelihood of detection becomes higher when there are more than a few active cases in a community. So, while the absence of the virus in wastewater doesn’t guarantee that there isn’t someone potentially infectious present, but it does suggest that there aren’t lots of infected people.
“It is important to remember that wastewater sampling is just one part of New Zealand’s response to COVID-19. Community testing, genome sequencing and the actions of all of us to follow public health guidelines remains crucial,” said Dr Hewitt.
ESR Wastewater testing results (Note additional samples continue to be received by ESR for testing and *= suspected cases in MIQF).
|
Region |
Sample |
Week |
Week |
Week |
|
16-Aug |
23-Aug |
30-Aug |
||
|
Northland |
Kerikeri |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Northland |
Hāruru |
|
Not detected |
|
|
Northland |
Whangārei |
Not detected |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Northland |
Ahipara |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Northland |
Awanui |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Northland |
Dargaville |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Northland |
Hihi |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Northland |
Houhora |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Northland |
Kaeo |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Northland |
Kaikohe |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Northland |
Kaitaia |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Northland |
Kaiwaka |
|
Not detected |
|
|
Northland |
Kawakawa |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Northland |
Kohukohu |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Northland |
Mangawhai |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Northland |
Maungaturoto |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Northland |
Ngunguru |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Northland |
Oakura |
|
|
Not detected |
|
Northland |
Opononi |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Northland |
Paihia |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Northland |
Rangiputa |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Northland |
Rawene |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Northland |
Ruakaka |
|
|
Not detected |
|
Northland |
Russell |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Northland |
Taipā |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Northland |
Tutukaka |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Northland |
Waiupu |
|
|
Not detected |
|
Northland |
Whatuwhiwhi |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Auckland |
Wellsford |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
|
Auckland |
Omaha |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
|
Auckland |
Warkworth |
Detected |
Detected |
|
|
Auckland |
Snells/Algies |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
|
Auckland |
Army Bay |
Not detected |
|
|
|
Auckland |
Helensville |
Not detected |
|
|
|
Auckland |
North Shore (Rosedale, Albany) |
Detected |
Detected |
|
|
Auckland |
Eastern Auckland (Eastern Interceptor) |
Detected |
Detected |
Detected |
|
Auckland |
Eastern Auckland MH2 (Papatoetoe/Southern Regional) |
Not detected |
Detected |
Detected |
|
Auckland |
Eastern Auckland PS28 (Pakuranga/East Regional) |
Not detected |
Detected |
Detected |
|
Auckland |
South Western Interceptor |
Detected |
Detected |
Detected |
|
Auckland |
Western Auckland (Western Interceptor) |
Detected |
Detected |
Detected |
|
Auckland |
Western Auckland PS25 (Waitakere) |
Detected |
Detected |
Detected |
|
Auckland |
Western Auckland PS23 (Hillsborough) |
Not detected |
Detected |
Not detected |
|
Auckland |
Waiheke Island |
Not detected |
|
|
|
Auckland |
Beachlands |
Not detected |
|
|
|
Auckland |
Pukekohe |
|
Not detected |
|
|
Waikato |
Hamilton |
Not detected |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Waikato |
Cambridge |
|
Not detected |
|
|
Waikato |
Matamata |
|
Not detected |
|
|
Waikato |
Morrinsville |
|
Not detected |
|
|
Waikato |
Te Awamutu |
|
Not detected |
|
|
Waikato |
Taupo |
Not detected |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Waikato |
Kinloch |
|
|
Not detected |
|
Waikato |
Mangakino |
|
|
Not detected |
|
Waikato |
Thames |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
|
Waikato |
Tokoroa |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
|
Waikato |
Whitianga |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
|
Waikato |
Whangamata |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
|
Waikato |
Coromandel |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
|
Waikato |
Pauanui |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
|
Bay of Plenty |
Mt Maunganui |
Not detected |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Bay of Plenty |
Tauranga |
Not detected |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Bay of Plenty |
Kawerau |
Not detected |
|
|
|
Bay of Plenty |
Katikati |
|
Not detected |
|
|
Bay of Plenty |
Waihi Beach |
|
Not detected |
|
|
Bay of Plenty |
Te Puke |
|
Not detected |
|
|
Bay of Plenty |
Edgecombe |
|
|
Not detected |
|
Bay of Plenty |
Maketu |
|
Not detected |
|
|
Bay of Plenty |
Murupara |
|
|
Not detected |
|
Bay of Plenty |
Ōhope |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Bay of Plenty |
Opotiki |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
|
Bay of Plenty |
Rotorua |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
|
Bay of Plenty |
Whakatāne |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Gisborne |
Gisborne |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
|
Hawke's Bay |
Napier |
Not detected |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Hawke's Bay |
Hastings |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Hawke's Bay |
Waipawa |
Not detected |
|
|
|
Hawke's Bay |
Waipukurau |
Not detected |
|
|
|
Hawke's Bay |
Wairoa |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
|
Taranaki |
New Plymouth |
Not detected |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Taranaki |
Hawera |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Taranaki |
Kaponga |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Taranaki |
Manaia |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Taranaki |
Opunake |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Taranaki |
Patea |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Taranaki |
Stratford |
|
Not detected |
|
|
Taranaki |
Waverley |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Manawatu-Wanganui |
Palmerston North |
Not detected |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Manawatu-Wanganui |
Whanganui |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
|
Manawatu-Wanganui |
Levin |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
|
Wellington |
Otaki |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Wellington |
Paraparaumu/Waikanae |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Wellington |
Porirua |
Not detected |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Wellington |
Hutt Valley (Seaview WWTP) |
Not detected |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Wellington |
Wellington (Moa Point WWTP) |
Detected* |
Detected* |
Not detected |
|
Wellington |
Karori (Western) |
Not detected |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Wellington |
Masterton |
Not detected |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Wellington |
Carterton |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Wellington |
Featherston |
|
|
Not detected |
|
Marlborough |
Picton |
Not detected |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Marlborough |
Blenheim |
Not detected |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Nelson |
Nelson (North) |
Not detected |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Nelson |
South Nelson and Tasman |
|
Not detected |
|
|
Tasman |
Motueka |
|
Not detected |
|
|
West Coast |
Westport |
Not detected |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
West Coast |
Hokitika |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
West Coast |
Reefton |
Not detected |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
West Coast |
Greymouth |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Canterbury |
Kaikōura |
|
Not detected |
|
|
Canterbury |
Arthur's Pass |
|
Not detected |
|
|
Canterbury |
Christchurch |
Detected* |
Detected* |
Not detected |
|
Canterbury |
Hanmer Springs |
|
Not detected |
|
|
Canterbury |
Amberley |
|
Not detected |
|
|
Canterbury |
Kaiapoi |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Canterbury |
Oxford |
|
|
Not detected |
|
Canterbury |
Rangiora |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Canterbury |
Woodend |
|
|
Not detected |
|
Canterbury |
Rolleston and Eastern Selwyn |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Canterbury |
Ellesmere and Leeston |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Canterbury |
Selwyn Huts |
|
Not detected |
|
|
Canterbury |
Castle Hill |
|
Not detected |
|
|
Canterbury |
Lake Coleridge |
|
Not detected |
|
|
Canterbury |
Ashburton |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
|
Canterbury |
Methven |
Not detected |
|
|
|
Canterbury |
Timaru |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
|
Otago |
Oamaru |
|
Not detected |
|
|
Otago |
Dunedin (Tahuna) |
Not detected |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Otago |
Dunedin (Mosgiel) |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Otago |
Dunedin (Green Island) |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Otago |
Milton |
|
Not detected |
|
|
Otago |
Balclutha |
|
Not detected |
|
|
Otago |
Wanaka |
Not detected |
|
|
|
Otago |
Cromwell |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Otago |
Queenstown |
Not detected |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Otago |
Alexandra |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Southland |
Gore |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
|
Southland |
Invercargill |
Not detected |
Not detected |
Not detected |
|
Southland |
Bluff |
|
Not detected |
Not detected |