Australia, insurance, car, home, live, holidays

If the Cairns case is active,it would be the furthest the virus has spread from south-east Queensland.Credit:AFR

“Testing capacity is being increased in the Cairns and Hinterland Health Service region. People planning on attending the fever clinic at Cairns Hospital or COVID-19 drive-through clinic on Aumuller Street can book online to help reduce their waiting time.”

A Cairns Hospital and Health Services spokesperson said there would be extended testing hours at its clinics.

Traces of COVID-19 were detected on July 27 and July 28 at the Marlin Coast sewage catchment in Cairns’ northern beaches.

Queensland Health said the result indicated there could be a case in the catchment area,but it could also be because of previously recovered COVID-19 patients who visited or lived in the area and continued to shed the virus.

On Monday,health authorities identified a number of exposure sites outside south-east Queensland after an infected person travelled to Rockhampton,about 600 kilometres north,but community transmission had not been detected in the area.

On Tuesday,the state recorded 16 new local cases linked to the Indooroopilly State High School cluster.

Anyone with symptoms was urged to isolate and get tested immediately.

License this article