More COVID-19 alerts issued after partner of infected cleaner tests positive
Queensland Health has added two new sites to its contact tracing list after the partner of a hotel quarantine cleaner, infected with the UK COVID-19 variant, also tested positive.
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Queensland Health has issued more public health alerts after the partner of a hotel quarantine cleaner diagnosed with COVID-19 also tested positive to the pandemic virus.
Two new sites have been added to the contact tracing list – Bunnings Warehouse in Acacia Ridge from 2pm to 2:40pm on Tuesday, January 5 and Sunnybank Cellars in Sunnybank Hills from 2:05pm to 2:15pm on Wednesday January 6.
People who were at these sites during these times should get tested and quarantine at home for 14 days, the alert says. They should also alert clinic staff.
It follows earlier alerts to do with the cleaner’s movements, for Coles at Sunnybank Hills Shoppingtown on January 5, 7.30am-8am, or Woolworths Calamvale North on January 3, 11am-noon. Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young had on Sunday said it was “critically important” people who visited these sites come forward for testing.
The cleaner last week tested positive to the highly contagious UK variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, triggering a three-day lockdown in Greater Brisbane from 6pm Friday.
Genomic sequencing is underway to determine whether her partner, who has been in isolation since January 7, also has the UK variant.
A 24-hour a day fever clinic has been established at Eight Mile Plains Community Health Centre, 51 McKechnie Drive, Eight Mile Plains, on Brisbane’s southside.
Check the Queensland Health website, health.qld.gov.au, for other locations near you.
QUEENSLAND HEALTH ALERTS FOR TESTING:
SOUTHSIDE BRISBANE (RELATED TO CLEANER AND PARTNER)
Two sites were added to the contact tracing list after the quarantine hotel cleaner’s partner tested positive on Monday.
Anyone who visited Bunnings Warehouse in Acacia Ridge from 2pm to 2:40pm on Tuesday, January 5, and Sunnybank Cellars in Sunnybank Hills from 2:05pm to 2:15pm on Wednesday, January 6, has been urged to get tested and quarantine at home for 14 days regardless of the outcome.
An urgent public health alert was issued late on Saturday evening, ordering anyone who had visited Coles at Sunnybank Hills Shoppingtown on January 5, 7.30am-8am, or Woolworths Calamvale North on January 3, 11am-noon to get tested and quarantine for 14 days, regardless of the test result.
The Public Health Unit confirmed anyone who attended these venues at these times was now considered to be a close contact with a Brisbane quarantine hotel cleaner who tested positive to the UK variant.
The Nextra newsagency at Sunnybank Hills was also added to this list of “critical importance”.
Authorities have also asked anybody on the Altandi to Roma St Station train at 7am on January 2 and Central to Altandi train at 4pm on January 2 to get tested.
MALENY (RELATED TO PASSENGER FROM MELBOURNE)
Health alerts have been issued for three venues in Maleny after a woman flew from Melbourne to Brisbane and then drove to the Sunshine Coast hinterland town on January 5. The woman also had the UK mutant strain of COVID-19 and had been in quarantine in Melbourne for 10 days before being allowed to fly but has since tested positive for the virus. At the time 10 days was the required quarantine period and no exit test was required.
Dr Young said the risk was “extremely low” but said Queensland Health wanted to be cautious.
Queensland Health has urged anyone who visited the Cappriccios Italian Pizza Restaurant on January 6, between 6.30pm and 7pm, to get tested.
They have also issued the same advice for those who visited Purple Palate Cellars between 4.15pm and 4.25pm on January 7 as well as the Maleny Woolworths supermarket on the same day between 4.30pm and 4.50pm.
Anyone in the Maleny area with any symptoms has also been urged to come forward for testing.
Dr Young said health authorities wanted to test passengers on Jetstar flight JQ570 who arrived into Brisbane from Melbourne at 11pm but she said Queensland Health had already contacted all passengers.
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