Covid detected in wastewater

A positive Covid-19 test result has been detected in wastewater in New Plymouth.

It did not appear to be linked to foreign vessels recently docked at Port Taranaki, the Ministry of Health said last night.

It said ESR reported there was a positive test result from the sewage sample. A follow-up sample, taken on Thursday, returned a second positive result last night.

‘‘Based on previous incidences, it is most likely that the two positive wastewater results are due to recently recovered cases continuing to shed the virus,’’ the ministry said. ‘‘The Ministry of Health is investigating whether any recovered cases who live in the New Plymouth area have recently left a managed isolation facility.’’

Other recently recovered cases from elsewhere in New Zealand could have travelled to New Plymouth.