Queensland nurse tests positive for coronavirus, six others isolated

A nurse working in Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital has tested positive for coronavirus, with six of her colleagues also in isolation.

The nurse was among 13 new cases made public on Tuesday, bringing the state’s cumulative total to 934.

Queensland Health released a statement late on Tuesday confirming the nurse had tested positive to the disease, and that she was working in the hospital's infectious diseases unit dealing with patients who are suffering from COVID-19.

A nurse working with COVID-19 patients in Brisbane's PA Hospital has hersefl tested positive for the virus.Credit: Bradley Kanaris

They would not release any more details about the nurse, citing patient confidentiality, but did say that six other employees from the infectious disease unit have also gone into isolation as a precaution.

It is the first instance in Queensland of a health worker contracting the virus while at work in a hospital, with Queensland Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young previously stating that some health staff have become infected outside of hospitals.

"They are no less vulnerable than any other member of the community, because no one is immune," Dr Young said last Friday.

A number of health workers have been infected with the virus in other states.

It’s understood the health worker did have access to personal protective equipment, with concerns raised in recent days about supply levels of items like masks and gloves for workers dealing with coronavirus patients.

The state’s health authorities insist the immediate supply of PPE is good, and the state government has recently announced a tender for thousands of masks to be made at a Logan factory.

On Tuesday 32 COVID-19 patients were in the state's hospitals, 11 in intensive care units on ventilators and two more in ICUs but not on ventilators.

Meanwhile, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Tuesday announced that all the cruise ships lingering off the Queensland coast would be forced to depart by midnight on Wednesday.

Nine ships have been hovering in the Moreton Bay region for the last few days, with some docking to resupply and refuel.

Ms Palaszczuk said there were no passengers aboard any of the vessels, and four crew members from the ships had come ashore over the last few days.

Three came from the MS Queen Elizabeth cruise liner, consisting of one Australian and two New Zealanders, who disembarked and were sent straight into isolation.

Another cruise ship crew member was allowed ashore for compassionate reasons so he could fly to South Africa.

Of the state’s 934 virus cases, 119 have come from cruise ships, with four of the five deaths of Queenslanders from COVID-19 also linked to cruise ships.

Dr Young confirmed six of the Queensland cases had become infected after coming in contact with the 119 who’d been on cruise ships.

The Premier again urged Queenslanders to stay the course on tough social distancing measures over the usually busy Easter weekend and instead stay at home.

"The measures that Queenslanders have taken, especially over the last two to three weeks are now paying dividends," she said.

"We can’t ruin that over Easter everyone. We need to keep up the great work."

Dr Young also reiterated that Queenslanders needed to stick with the measures to prevent the spread of the virus in the community, with authorities tracing 32 cases of unknown origin across the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Cairns.

"Queenslanders have been following the directions, the instructions, the requirements to minimise their travel outside their home, and it’s really, really important that that continues through this Easter period," she said.

To reinforce the point, concrete barriers have arrived at the Queensland-New South Wales border to reinforce the blockade after some motorists drove around the current plastic barriers and ignored the interstate lockdown.