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Infected Queensland patients tested as new strain emerges in India
By Lydia Lynch
Three people infected with COVID-19 and isolating in a Queensland quarantine hotel are being tested further as a new variant of the virus emerges in India.
Authorities were conducting genomic testing on the people to determine if any were infected with “variants of concern”, including a potentially troublesome strain that has been detected in India.
Results from genomic testing were expected by the end of the week. Credit: New York Times
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said 65 COVID-19 patients were being treated in hospitals in the state on Thursday, including the three new cases.
“One is from India travelling via Dubai, one from Pakistan via Doha and the third from Papua New Guinea,” she said.
“One is in intensive care. This is yet another reminder of this wicked virus and the ongoing threat it poses.”
Queensland Health has been conducting genomic testing on all positive cases since mutant strains of the coronavirus were detected in quarantine hotels.
There were 6512 tests conducted in the past 24 hours and 49,462 vaccine doses have been administered in Queensland.
Ms Palaszczuk also corrected Health Minister Yvette D’Ath’s announcement on Tuesday that “we have the highest number of COVID-positive patients in our hospital system today than we have had since COVID started”.
The Premier said there were 78 COVID-19 patients in Queensland hospitals at the peak of the pandemic, in March 2020.
“Our health workers, contact tracers, police and paramedics have been battling this pandemic in Queensland for 422 days,” she said.
“Indeed, the people of Queensland have fought this every single minute of those 422 days. I thank them once again.”