Covid Qld: Covid case update as pair fined over breaches
Queensland has recorded 20 new cases of Covid-19 and one new case of community transmission overnight, with 19 crew members of a vessel and a person who stayed in a Brisbane backpackers making up the total.
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Nineteen crew aboard a vessel off Queensland have tested positive to Covid-19.
There has also been a locally acquired case – a man who left hotel quarantine on July 17 and was in the community for four days. He was tested on July 26 and authorities have deemed him infectious since July 22.
He had been residing at a backpackers in the Brisbane CBD.
The man had been in hotel quarantine at the Quest Hotel in Brisbane after travelling from the Philippines to Brisbane.
He left quarantine on July 17 and later became unwell. He got tested on July 26.
He is deemed to be infectious in the community since July 22.
It’s understood the man was a returning Australian who had been living in the Philippines and was returning home to WA via Brisbane.
He had been staying at the Roma Street City Backpackers.
Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said bulk carrier MV Sanyu, now in Weipa, had informed authorities on Monday that a lot of people on the ship were sick.
Health authorities tested the ship’s 21-member crew, with 19 of them testing positive.
The Panama-flagged MV Sanyu left Manila 15 days ago.
Those sick crew will be taken to Brisbane to be treated in a Covid hospital.
All of the crew are from the Philippines.
Meanwhile Dr Young said authorities were contact tracing those who have stayed at the backpackers.
She said this was the 13th incursion of the virus in the community which she said was concerning.
Queenslanders travelling home from SA or Victoria from 1am Friday will be allowed to quarantine at home.
Dr Young said it was incredibly important that Queenslanders weren’t complacent with vaccinations.
She urged anyone that was vulnerable or eligible for the jab to get it.
Whether or not people in southeast Queensland can ditch masks on Friday will be “reviewed” Dr Young has said, shying away from making any call on easing restrictions after the state recorded 20 new cases of Covid-19.
Dr Young has twice extended rules around mask wearing for an extra week.
It comes after the identities of a man and woman behind Queensland’s latest Covid-19 scare were revealed, with police confirming they have been issued multiple fines over a number of breaches.
Malynda Gray, 36, who also goes by Mel Waterhouse, and Sydney man George Thompson were named as the pair who breached border directions and moved about southeast Queensland while infected with the Delta strain of Covid-19.
Ms Gray was on Tuesday fined $4000 for failing to comply with a border direction after driving Covid-positive Mr Thompson into Queensland on July 14 – resulting in her contracting the virus herself.
Mr Thompson has been fined $4000 for failing to comply with a border direction, $4000 for failing to comply with a Covid-19 direction by providing untrue information and $1300 for failing to comply with a direction from an emergency officer.
Ms Gray and Mr Thompson have not been charged.
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