Test that will prove if two COVID-19 cases are linked

A specialist test will reveal whether the virus Blackwater’s Nathan Turner had when he died is the same one a Rockhampton nurse had when she illegally drove to the small town while sick.

AUTHORITIES will run genome sequencing to identify whether the virus Nathan Turner was suffering when he died is the same one a Rockhampton nurse had when she illegally drove into Blackwater while sick.

As mystery continues to swirl around the reason for the nurse’s four-hour round trip into the central Queensland town, a specialist test will be undertaken to discover whether there is a link between the two COVID-19 cases.

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The revelation came as Health Minister Steven Miles referred to the nurse’s reason for the road trip, to see either a sunset or a sunrise, as “a bit curious”.

Nathan Turner from Blackwater, Queensland is Australia's youngest person to die from COVID-19. He was 30 years old.

Mr Miles said he could not go into "great detail" on the nurse's trip into Blackwater, but said investigators were speaking with her further.

"My advice via the Chief Health Officer is that the timing of that trip means it's unlikely that she is the source of the infection, but it's possible, and so they're continuing to work through that," he said.

A Queensland Health spokesman confirmed the genome testing capability.

“We have the expertise and technical capability to assist with tracing the source of viral infections,” he said.

“This includes conducting genome sequencing to identify the virus’s genetic makeup which may be useful in linking cases.”

The Rockhampton nurse has told authorities she drove into the community a week after Mr Turner's symptoms began and didn't get out of her car or interact with anyone.

Queensland Health investigators are still investigating whether the woman has any links to Blackwater that might have seen her drive there.

Queensland Health workers test locals in Blackwater for COVID-19 at the Blackwater Show grounds. Photo Steve Vit

About 20 close contacts of Nathan Turner had been identified yesterday, with 18 already testing negative.

Scores of tests in the community have also come back negative.

Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said Mr Turner’s partner remained in home isolation with symptoms, despite returning an initial negative test for COVID-19.

"She had that initial test and she'll be having a subsequent test, because we know that early on in the illness, you may not have enough virus to be able to pick it up,” she said.
"So we will be doing further testing.
"But, of course, she'll be in quarantine for 14 days."
Anyone across Queensland, especially in the central Queensland area, are being urged to come forward for testing if they have any respiratory symptoms.