Covid update: New case could be Brisbane cluster’s ‘missing link’

Queensland has recorded one new case of locally transmitted COVID-19, which health authorities believe could be the missing link in Brisbane’s latest cluster.

Queensland has recorded three new cases of COVID-19, with health authorities believing one to be the ‘missing link’ in Brisbane’s latest cluster.

Police also said statements made by Queensland Health on Saturday about an infected man hosting a party were incorrect.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was joined by Health Minister Yvette D’Ath and Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young as they briefed media.

Dr Young confirmed the new case was the brother of a 26-year-old Stafford man who tested positive to the highly infectious UK strain on Thursday night.

She said it was believed he had initially transmitted the virus to his brother.

The other two new cases were recorded in hotel quarantine.

BREAKING: Queensland Premier providing a COVID-19 update in Brisbane. #covid19 https://t.co/b7bgZ9kqiD

— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) March 28, 2021

Dr Young said the brother was infectious “a little while ago” and has since recovered from the virus.

She said it is “far too early to relax” and that she expects to see further cases of COVID-19 considering the amount of venues the men went to.

Dr Young couldn’t rule out a lockdown but said because they haven’t enforced a lockdown yet as they now know more about the B117 UK strain.

“Of course I can’t, this is a virus. It just spreads. We don’t always know how, we don’t know how it spread from the case that we had in the hotel and how it spread to that doctor and we don’t know how it spread from the doctor to these three cases,” Dr Young said.

“I cannot rule out anything but I’m very hopeful that if we do our bit, which is come forward and get tested when you are sick, as our first case did and this recent cluster; he came forward while I’m sure he was thinking this can’t possibly be COVID, he came forward and tested positive. So we just need people to not make any assumptions.”

Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young couldn’t rule out another lockdown. Picture: Richard Walker. Picture: John Gass

Contact tracers are now trying to determine whether the new case is the missing link in Brisbane’s latest cluster.

“The contact tracers are talking to him to try to work out if there has been any crossover or whether that means there is another case that has spread from the doctor, from the PA hospital, to this new case we are aware of,” Dr Young said.

This morning’s update follows reports a COVID-infected man hosted a house party on Friday, but police today confirmed authorities were wrong and that it was a group of five people involved, not 25 as initially stated.

The Strathpine man had been identified as a close contact of the Stafford man.

Health authorities said on Saturday that after being sent for testing and advised to isolate, the man ignored the strict health directive and had 25 people at his home on Friday night. A media release from authorities stated those 25 people had been put into quarantine.

Queensland Deputy Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said authorities were wrong in saying a Brisbane man hosted a party with 25 people. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Sarah Marshall. Picture: John Gass

Deputy Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski today said it had been revealed there were actually only five people present and said there was no evidence of any offence committed by anyone.

He said calling it a party was “inflammatory”, even though that is how Queensland Health referred to it in a release Saturday afternoon.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said she couldn’t say why they earlier believed the man had held a party with 25 people.

“I understand that as time has gone on, and overnight, there has been further investigation, an independent investigation from what the gentleman had said, whether it was a misunderstanding at the time or what it was, I can’t tell you, “ Ms D’Ath said.

“But that’s what the health officials who originally spoke to this gentleman, when they first picked him up, that is what they understood had been said and that had to be acted on quickly.

“I ask people to be very careful in abusing and … threatening people online. We’ve seen it with some of the businesses. We don’t need to treat individuals like this.”

Ms D’Ath said it was “extremely unfortunate” that it was originally reported by Queensland Health as 25 people at a party.

“This is the information that was received by this gentleman himself when he was first picked up by the health officials,” she said.

“Now, whether the health officials misunderstood what he said, I was not there, I didn’t hear the conversation.

“This is the information that they believe that he had provided them at the time.

“I am very pleased that the information has shown that we don’t have 25 people out there in the community potentially at risk.

“That the numbers are far lower and it is contained to predominantly the housemates, that is a good outcome, much better outcome that what we thought was occurring yesterday.

“It is disappointing that we have ended up in this situation, but we also have to act on the information that we have at the time.”

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli accused the government of “clumsy communication” over the past fortnight.

“Openness, transparency and consistency are the basic hallmarks of any good government,” he said on Sunday.

“We owe it to the community not to be rushing to conclusions as the worst thing we can do is pour fuel on the mixed messages coming from the government.”

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk thanked Queenslanders for their testing efforts and said she is “very comfortable with the situation” but said it was crucial for anyone who was sick to get tested.

There had been 11348 tests in the 24 hours to 9am Sunday and there are 71 active cases in the state.

“Everyone is doing the right thing at the moment and we are very comfortable with the situation,” Ms Palaszczuk said.