Delta carrier flouts quarantine rules, puts hotel staff at risk

The Covid positive Sydney man who breached lockdown to enter Queensland with a flight attendant who was also Covid positive is accused of intentionally opening his quarantine hotel room door while unmasked and abusing staff.

Police say the Covid positive Sydney man who breached lockdown to enter Queensland allegedly intentionally opened the door to his quarantine hotel room and repeatedly verbally assaulted staff while unmasked - all while knowing he was carrying the Delta variant of the virus.

The 26-year-old man, from New South Wales, has been fined nearly $10,000 after police allege he opened the door to his hotel room and verbally abused staff while not wearing a mask.

The man was staying at the Novotel in Brisbane City.

Police claim the man - after several warnings and with full knowledge of his positive Covid-19 Delta strain diagnosis - continued to open his door while not wearing a face mask.

Today, police have finalised their investigation into the alleged breaches of the Chief Health Officer’s public health directions.

It’s alleged the breaches date back to as early as July 14 and occurred in South East Queensland.

Staff at the Novotel hotel were allegedly verbally abused by a Covid positive guest in quarantine there.

The investigation involves both the man and a Covid-positive 37-year-old Banyo woman, who worked as a flight attendant while infectious.

Police allege the NSW man flew from Sydney to Ballina to meet up with the woman, who is accused of driving into NSW to collect the man from the Ballina airport.

At 1pm on July 14, the pair drove back into Queensland via Tugun and subsequently entered Brisbane.

The next day, the pair - carrying Covid-19 - visited several shops at Westfield Chermside.

It is alleged when checking into three stores at the north Brisbane shopping centre on July 15, the man gave false information.

Once detected by Queensland Health as a close contact of a positive case, the man was placed into hotel quarantine.

It is in quarantine where police allege the unmasked man repeatedly opened his door and abused staff.

Police allege the man travelled into Queensland and visited Westfield Chermside while knowingly infected with the virus - however this information was not made aware to Queensland authorities.

The man was made aware he was positive to the Delta strain of Covid-19 by New South Wales authorities, who contacted the man to correct an initial lab error which incorrectly initially stated he was negative to the virus.

This mistake was immediately corrected by New South Wales, who ordered the man to isolate.

Police allege instead of obeying NSW Health orders, the man travelled into Queensland and visited Westfield Chermside while knowingly infected with the virus.

Westfield Chermside was visited by the NSW man while he was infectious. Picture: NCA NewsWire / John Gass

Once identified as a close contact to the flight attendant - who had tested positive after developing symptoms - the man was placed into hotel quarantine and tested by Queensland Health.

Within 24 hours of being in quarantine he returned a positive test result and was taken to hospital, however not before he is accused of verbally abusing staff and repeatedly opening the door to his hotel room.

Queensland Police have today issued both the man and woman with fines following the alleged breaches of the Chief Health Officer’s public health directions.

The 26-year-old man has been fined $4,135 for failing to comply with Queensland’s COVID-19 Border Direction; $4,135 for failing to comply with COVID-19 direction by providing untrue information; and $1,378 for failing to comply with COVID-19 Direction of an Emergency Officer.

The 37-year-old woman has been issued with an infringement for failing to comply with the COVID-19 Border Direction, party to the offence.

She has been ordered to pay $4,135.

Queensland’s border restrictions mean anyone who has been in a COVID-19 hotspot cannot enter the state unless they have a valid border declaration pass.

A separate declaration pass is required for everyone entering Queensland and all people travelling together must be eligible to enter the state.

More information about the Queensland Border Declaration Pass is available here: https://www.qld.gov.au/border-pass.