Coronavirus Qld: Reason Melbourne couple were in Queensland revealed

Authorities have confirmed a Melbourne couple who tested positive to Covid-19 did not have an exemption to enter Queensland, but now the reason they were here has been revealed.

A Melbourne couple who have tested positive to the Covid-19 virus on the Sunshine Coast are believed to have been moving to Queensland for work.

The couple left lockdown in Victoria on June 1, arriving into Queensland via Goondiwindi on June 5.

They also travelled through Toowoomba before heading to Caloundra, on the Sunshine Coast, where they tested positive to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, this week.

Queensland Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said on Thursday they did not have an exemption to enter the state.

“It’s now up to police to investigate whether they came through any other process,” Dr Young said.

Queensland declared Victoria a coronavirus hotspot from 1am on May 28.

A Queensland Health statement at the time said: “Anyone who has been in Victoria in the last 14 days will not be allowed to enter Queensland unless they are a returning Queensland resident, except for a limited range of people who can enter for an essential purpose.

“Anyone who is allowed to enter Queensland will be required to go into 14 days mandatory hotel quarantine in Brisbane.”

Sunny's at Moffat Beach was one of the venues on the Sunshine Coast the couple visited. Photo Steve Pohlner

Although the couple failed to go into mandatory quarantine on arrival into Queensland, Dr Young said she was grateful to them for their assistance in “so carefully” working with contact tracers to prepare a list of exposure sites.

Queensland Health Minister Yvette D’Ath refused to pass judgment on the couple until she received the results of a police investigation into whether they had the “relevant authorisation” to travel into the state.

“I don’t want to jump to conclusions until I know all of the facts as to whether they did have a travel declaration,” Ms D’Ath said.

“I understand the husband was here with a new job. We know that that is one of the grounds where people can travel due to work commitments.”

Queensland Health has so far identified 17 close contacts of the couple since they arrived into the state, including people in cafes and restaurants.

Dr Young said three close contacts had already tested negative, including relatives they were staying with in Caloundra.

More than 400 people who visited the listed exposure sites at the relevant times have also come forward to Queensland Health.

The latest testing of the couple indicated they were both “towards the end of their illness” with extremely low viral loads.

“That would suggest that they probably got infected at least 14 days earlier,” Dr Young said.

“Because I believe this risk is actually a little bit lower, I haven’t asked all of our vulnerable facilities to go into lockdown at this stage.

“Usually when we have an outbreak, I require hospital aged care facilities, disability care accommodation facilities and prisons if there are any in that locality to go into lockdown.

“I don’t believe the risk is such that we need to do that for this particular outbreak at this stage.

“But of course, anyone who’s been to any of the venues, or indeed anyone who’s unwell, shouldn’t visit any of those facilities for 14 days since they were at that venue at the time that one of the two individuals from Melbourne attended.”

Dr Young was still awaiting genomic sequencing results on Thursday, which may shed light on the variant the couple had contracted to assist Victorian authorities in potentially finding out how they became infected.

But she said their viral load was so low, it may not be possible to sequence it.

Late today, Goondindi Mayor Lawrence Springborg, a former state health minister, hit out at the couple’s apparently “flagrant breach” of COVID hotspot protocols and unauthorised access to Queensland.

“This breach potentially puts not only Goondiwindi region residents, but also Queenslanders, in general, at risk, as well as our friends across the border in NSW,” Mr Springborg said in a statement.

“While, of course, I have concern for the staff and patrons of Goondiwindi McDonald’s … visited by the infected couple, I am particularly concerned by the potential of infection caused by the extended period of time that the couple spent in Moree (NSW).

“This act of apparent selfishness has not only inconvenienced our community, but put us all at risk and reinforces the need for constant vigilance and compliance with health advice.”

Queensland Health is conducting COVID testing at Goondiwindi Hospital and is in the process of establishing a vaccination clinic for the border town.