Brewery patron latest local COVID case

There has been three new cases of COVID overnight, including one new case of community transmission in a man who acquired the virus after attending a Brisbane brewery. He has been in quarantine since March 17.

Queensland has one new case of community transmission and two other historical COVID cases, both acquired overseas.

Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said the new case is a man who attended the Black Hops Brewery last month.

He tested positive while in quarantine and has been in quarantine during his entire infectious period.

“I am very grateful for those over 2000 people who have been in quarantine as a result of these recent two clusters,” she said.

“We never know which is the person who is going to end up infectious, but here we have one who has been in quarantine. So that’s ideal.”

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos APRIL 2, 2021: Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young during a press conference in Brisbane. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Dr Young said high levels of testing needed to continue for the next 14 days and she said people should not be concerned by the high number of venues being added to Queensland Health’s contact tracing list.

“People should be reassured by the large number of venues ... because that’s the information that we need,” Dr Young said.

She said anyone who has been in the COVID ward at the Princess Alexandra was being tested whether they had symptoms or not after yesterday’s historic case didn’t show any symptoms of the virus.

“She was never sick, and that’s the issue. So for the vast majority of cases, I do just recommend that if you’ve got any symptoms, any symptoms at all, come forward and get tested,” she said.

“We do know that you can get this disease without any symptoms and then pass it on, but that’s actually less common.”

All staff who work with COVID positive patients will now be tested daily.

Dr Young said she would be meeting with her colleagues from other states about the AstraZeneca vaccine after a man was hospitalised with a blood clot condition after receiving he jab.

“At this point in time, people shouldn’t be concerned and we expect rare side effects,” Dr Young said.

Speaking on masks, Dr Young said if anyone had a problem breathing, they should not wear a mask.

“If someone genuinely - and they will know it themselves - believes that they have a medical condition, then that is enough for me and it is enough for everyone out there,” she said.

The update comes as the Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk continues to plea with the Federal Government to extend reduced international arrivals into Queensland.

There were 25 new overseas acquired cases this week, with the Premier admitting she believed Queensland was recording the highest number of new cases of any state or territory.

There are currently 42 cases being treated who have travelled from PNG – which is more than 62 per cent of the current overseas cases in Queensland.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said the low number of positive cases was a result of allowing less international arrivals in.

“We know that every week we are getting more positive cases out of our overseas arrivals. That puts pressure on our hotel quarantine system,” she said.

“That puts pressure on our hospital system because we are moving all of those positive patients? Our hospital system.”