Gladstone Hospital confirmed COVID man’s infection
A Brisbane man who tested positive on a birthday trip to his hometown of Gladstone has spoken about his experience, saying he had to urge hospital staff to give him a COVID test.
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A Gladstone man who came “home” from Brisbane to celebrate his birthday said he had to urge hospital staff to test him for COVID-19 and it was “cruel karma” he had tested positive.
Queensland Health has confirmed the man is infected with the highly-contagious UK strain of the virus.
The man, whose identity News Corp Australia has chosen to protect, said when he arrived back at his Brisbane home on Sunday, March 28, he was wheeled away by ambulance officers.
“I had holidays booked to celebrate my birthday in Agnes/1770 and visited home (Gladstone) prior to spend some time with friends and family,” the man wrote on social media.
“I arrived on Thursday, went out to eat, drink and shop Friday at the venues listed by QLD Health, no where else.”
The man said he hugged and kissed his entire family, including his grandparents on Saturday.
“Saturday morning I had my family, grandparents and my partners family plus her nana over my parents place for breakfast,” the man posted.
“I cooked and cleaned for, hugged and kissed everyone present that morning and at 11.30am I received a call from my boss informing me that my work mate who I was with on Wednesday had tested positive.
“I was shocked and my heart sunk instantly, I told everyone involved what was happening and went to Gladstone hospital by myself and masked up immediately.”
At the hospital the man said he had to stress to staff the importance of getting a COVID test before it was conducted.
“I explained my story in the emergency room and they told me to return Monday as the fever clinic had closed at 11.30am and was shut on Sunday,” the man posted.
“I pressed my point and explained the urgency and demanded one on the spot.
“1 to 2 hours later I had one given to me in the car park and was sent back to Mum and Dad’s to isolate awaiting results.
“Sunday morning I was contacted by QLD health and given quarantine orders, I was sent home to Brisbane.
“I drove straight there by myself, no stopping and an hour out from home I received another call confirming I was positive, my heart sunk deeper.
“We began contact tracing immediately and I shared the results with everyone I knew I had been in contact with.”
He didn’t remain at his Brisbane home for long.
“I was picked up by an ambo with men in full PPE that night, I was put in a stretcher bed while my neighbours watched them wheel me away,” he said.
After talking “smack” about COVID-19 the man said this was his punishment.
“Just my luck,” he posted.
“I’ve been talking smack about this pandemic the past year or so, this is cruel karma.
“I’ve tested positive for COVID, completely asymptomatic, I feel 100 per cent as is.”
Anyone who is feeling sick or has been at the locations visited by the man listed here, is required to get a COVID test and self-isolate at home.
People who visited the Café Spinnaker Park or Auckland House during the times specified by Queensland Health are required to get tested and self-isolate for 14 days.
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