Coronavirus QLD: New case as Melbourne man doesn’t declare exposure, socialises with family

A COVID-19 positive Melbourne man who flew to Brisbane then on to Bundaberg, didn’t declare he had been living with a person diagnosed with coronavirus, and socialised with family along the way.

A MAN who has tested positive to COVID-19 lived with someone in Melbourne who had been diagnosed with coronavirus, but he did not declare his exposure at Brisbane Airport.

It is also believed the man then socialised with family in Brisbane, before boarding a second flight to Bundaberg.

Health authorities are now working to trace more than 50 people who may have had contact with the infected man who flew to Brisbane on Monday before starting work at a Bundaberg strawberry farm.

Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said she was confident contact tracers, who have already mobilised to trace any people the man in his 20s encountered, will track down “every single person”.

But Dr Young also cautioned protesters heading to the Black Lives Matter protest in Brisbane to practice social distancing, saying Queensland was now at an elevated risk due to the latest case.

“Today the risk has increased because we do have another active case and I’m not yet quite sure where that person’s been,” Dr Young said.

“So it is really, really important that people maintain social distancing.

“And the same message as always, if you are unwell with any symptoms, don’t attend.”

Black Lives Matter protest in King George Square, Brisbane.

It is understood health authorities are examining whether the man knew he had been exposed to the virus before flying to Brisbane.

While it has been determined he was living in Melbourne with a flat mate who tested positive to the virus, it is understood the man did not declare that he had been exposed to the virus in a questionnaire upon arriving in Brisbane, but has told authorities he had not been notified at that stage.

Dr Young today said the man had been able to fly into Brisbane on Monday under exemptions to the COVID-19 border restrictions that allow seasonal workers to support Queensland agricultural interests.

He had stopped in Brisbane overnight, where he socialised with family and friends on Brisbane’s southside, coming into contact with about 15 people.

They will now be forced into quarantine.

The man then flew to Bundaberg and was transported to fruit picking accommodation, with four others staying at the same location testing negative to the virus today.

The man then worked a shift on a Bundaberg strawberry farm, which has not been publicly identified by health authorities.

A testing clinic has since been set up at the farm and results should be known by later today.

“We know he was infectious on the Monday when he flew into Brisbane and today we are five, six days later, so now is when people will start showing symptoms,” Dr Young said.

“We also know that you are infectious for up to 48 hours before you have symptoms so there will be people out in our communities in Bundaberg and Brisbane today who don’t know that they have it, who could potentially be spreading the infection.

“So this is a time for heightened alertness for all our population in Brisbane and Bundaberg.”

While Dr Young warned of a heightened risk due to the new case, she also said it was realistic people could maintain social distancing at today’s rally in Brisbane.

“It’s very realistic and Queenslanders to date have been fantastic in following all of the directions and requirements,” she said.

“And again, I’m just asking Queenslanders to follow those directions. To maintain social distancing and stay within groups of 20 and if you are sick stay home. Please don’t attend.”

Deputy Premier and Health Minister Steven Miles defended the decision not to shut down the rally, saying a protest by anti-vaxxers had gone ahead last week without the same outcry.

“We are a free society where we have a long tradition of people being able to speak their minds, express their political viewpoints. That’s particularly important in Queensland where that was suppressed for a very, very long time. What we have said here is that we would prefer people not to go and express their protests in other ways. But if they do go, then the health advice that we have consistently provided remains the same. That is that they should keep 1.5m distance between groups.”

He likened it to rules around visiting shopping centres or a park.

“There can be thousands at parks. As long as they maintain social distancing,” he said.