Ninety percent of New Zealand covered by ESR’s latest results of wastewater samples for COVID-19

26 August 2021

COVID-19
Wastewater surveillance

The number of wastewater treatment facilities providing samples to ESR for testing for SARS-CoV-2 RNA, the virus which causes COVID-19, has increased by almost 300 percent and now covers over 90 percent of the New Zealand population connected to reticulated wastewater systems.

In its briefing today (26 August) the Ministry of Health confirmed positive detections for COVID-19 in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. There were no unexpected detections to report outside these centres.

Brent Gilpin, ESR Senior Science Leader says the enhanced sampling provides an unprecedented opportunity to detect the presence of COVID-19 in New Zealand communities.

"Samples from over 100 locations during this outbreak have either been analysed, or are currently in the ESR laboratory being analysed. There are more than 70 locations in the North Island and 30 locations in South Island. These cover an estimated 3.8 million people.

“Wastewater sampling has proven itself as an important part of our efforts to understand COVID-19 in Aotearoa. The huge increase in sampling over the past week is testament to the commitment of Councils and treatment facilities throughout New Zealand to stamp out the virus. The results of the additional sampling should give us confidence we are on the right track,” says Gilpin.

The new detection in samples collected from the Christchurch catchment on 21 and 23 August following the non-detection results for 16 and 18 August may relate to the presence of at least three active cases in MIQ facilities in Christchurch with this detection consistent with shedding from those cases. Further sampling of Christchurch is being undertaken today. Gilpin said the recent detection of COVID-19 in wastewater from Warkworth reinforced the benefit of the sampling.

“There was sufficient viral RNA present in the positive sample from Warkworth for ESR to be able to generate a genome sequence that confirmed that this was linked to the current outbreak. The public health response then intensified the availability of testing in Warkworth which the community responded to by getting tested.”

Brett Cowan, ESR Chief Scientist said wastewater testing was “another important tool in tool kit.”

“We have the testing of individuals, our contact tracing and our wastewater testing; these three surveillance tools work together for us as we attempt to identify COVID-19 in the community.”

The results of ESR’s most recent wastewater testing results are presented below.

ESR Wastewater testing results (Note additional samples continue to be received by ESR for testing)

 

Region   

Sample  

Week of   

Week of   

Week of  

9-Aug  

16-Aug  

23-Aug  

Northland  

Kerikeri   

  

   

Not detected  

Northland  

Haruru   

  

   

Not detected  

Northland  

Whangarei  

Not detected 

Not detected  

Not detected  

Northland  

Ahipara  

  

   

Not detected  

Northland  

Awanui  

  

   

Not detected  

Northland  

Hihi  

  

   

Not detected  

Northland  

Houhora  

  

   

Not detected  

Northland  

Kaeo  

  

   

Not detected  

Northland  

Kaikohe  

  

   

Not detected  

Northland  

Kaitaia  

  

   

Not detected  

Northland  

Kawakawa  

  

   

Not detected  

Northland  

Opononi  

  

   

Not detected  

Northland  

Paihia   

  

   

Not detected  

Northland  

Rangiputa  

  

   

Not detected  

Northland  

Rawene  

  

   

Not detected  

Northland  

Russell  

  

   

Not detected  

Northland  

Taipa  

  

   

Not detected  

Northland  

Whatuwhiwhi  

  

   

Not detected  

Auckland  

Wellsford  

  

Not detected  

   

Auckland  

Omaha  

  

Not detected  

   

Auckland  

Warkworth  

  

Detected  

   

Auckland  

Snells/Algies  

  

Not detected  

   

Auckland  

Army Bay   

  

Not detected  

   

Auckland  

Helensville  

  

Not detected  

   

Auckland  

North Shore (Rosedale, Albany)  

Not detected 

Detected  

   

Auckland  

Eastern Interceptor  

Not detected 

Detected  

Detected  

Auckland  

Southern Regional (So-MH2)  

Not detected 

Detected  

Detected  

Auckland  

Pakuranga/East Regional (PS28)   

Not detected 

Detected  

Detected  

Auckland  

South Western Interceptor  

Detected  

Detected  

Detected  

Auckland  

Western Interceptor  

Not detected 

Detected  

Detected  

Auckland  

Waitakere (PS25)  

Not detected 

Detected  

Detected  

Auckland  

Hillsborough (PS23)  

Not detected 

Detected  

Detected  

Auckland  

Waiheke Island  

  

Not detected  

   

Auckland  

Beachlands  

  

Not detected  

   

Waikato  

Hamilton   

Not detected 

Not detected  

  

Waikato  

Tokoroa  

  

Not detected  

Not detected  

Waikato  

Taupo  

Not detected 

Not detected  

Not detected  

Waikato  

Thames  

  

Not detected  

Not detected  

Waikato  

Whitianga  

  

Not detected  

Not detected  

Waikato  

Whangamata  

  

Not detected  

   

Waikato  

Coromandel  

  

Not detected  

Not detected  

Waikato  

Pauanui  

  

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  

Opotiki  

  

Not detected  

   

Bay of Plenty  

Rotorua  

Not detected 

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  

Waipukurau  

  

Not detected  

   

Hawke's Bay  

Waipawa  

  

Not detected  

   

Taranaki  

New Plymouth  

Not detected 

Not detected  

Not detected  

Taranaki  

Hawera  

  

   

Not detected  

Taranaki  

Kaponga  

  

   

Not detected  

Taranaki  

Manaia  

  

   

Not detected  

Taranaki  

Opunake  

  

   

Not detected  

Taranaki  

Patea  

  

   

Not detected  

Taranaki  

Waverley  

  

   

Not detected  

Manawatu-Wanganui  

Palmerston North  

Not detected 

Not detected  

Not detected  

Manawatu-Wanganui  

Whanganui  

  

Not detected  

Not detected  

Manawatu-Wanganui  

Levin  

  

Not detected  

   

Wellington   

Otaki   

  

   

Not detected  

Wellington   

Paraparaumu/Waikanae  

  

   

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)  

Not detected 

Detected  

Detected  

Wellington   

Karori (Western)  

  

Not detected  

Not detected  

Wellington   

Masterton  

  

Not detected  

Not detected  

Marlborough  

Picton   

  

Not detected  

   

Marlborough  

Blenheim   

  

Not detected  

   

Tasman  

Nelson  

Not detected 

Not detected  

Not detected  

Tasman  

Bell Island  

  

   

Not detected  

West Coast  

Westport  

  

Not detected  

   

West Coast  

Reefton   

  

Not detected  

   

West Coast  

Greymouth  

  

   

Not detected  

Canterbury  

Arthur's Pass  

  

   

Not detected  

Canterbury  

Christchurch  

Not detected 

Detected  

Detected  

Canterbury  

Rolleston and Eastern Selwyn  

  

   

Not detected  

Canterbury  

Ellesmere and Leeston  

  

   

Not detected  

Canterbury  

Selwyn Huts  

  

   

Not detected  

Canterbury  

Castle Hill  

  

   

Not detected  

Canterbury  

Lake Coleridge  

  

   

Not detected  

Canterbury  

Ashburton   

  

Not detected  

   

Canterbury  

Methven  

  

Not detected  

   

Canterbury  

Timaru  

  

   

Not detected  

Otago  

Wanaka  

  

Not detected  

   

Otago  

Cromwell  

  

   

Not detected  

Otago  

Alexandra  

  

   

Not detected  

Otago  

Queenstown  

Not detected 

Not detected  

Not detected  

Otago  

Dunedin (Tahuna)  

Not detected 

Not detected  

Not detected  

Otago  

Dunedin (Mosgiel)  

  

   

Not detected  

Otago  

Dunedin (Green Island)  

  

   

Not detected  

Southland  

Invercargill  

Not detected 

Not detected  

Not detected  

Southland  

Gore  

  

Not detected  

   

Southland  

Bluff  

  

   

Not detected