Wellcamp quarantine hub could treat patients on site

COVID-positive patients could be treated at a proposed quarantine hub instead of being taken to hospital if the much-talked about facility is given the go ahead.

COVID-positive patients could be treated at the proposed Wellcamp quarantine hub instead of being taken to hospital if the much-talked about facility is given the go ahead.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles launched another attack on the federal government, claiming the latest Brisbane lockdown could have been avoided if the quarantine hub was up and running.

But the federal government has hit back, insisting they are still waiting on a “formal proposal” from the Queensland Government about the Wellcamp quarantine site.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jono Searle

The state government has confirmed that treating COVID-19 patients on site at the proposed hub in Toowoomba remains an option – instead of them being ferried to hospital.

“Unfortunately, we can’t get a straight answer or even a statement of support in-principle out of the Commonwealth, out of Scott Morrison,” Mr Miles claimed on Monday.

“That’s what we need. In particular, we need their support to allow for repatriation flights to land at Toowoomba.

“If we got that go ahead when we first suggested this, we probably wouldn’t have needed the lockdown last week.”

A federal government spokesman said they were waiting for a “formal proposal” from the Queensland Government, which should include details on costings and how the state proposes to manage the health, security and safety implications of a quarantine facility in Toowoomba and the impact to the local community.

“This process is consistent with other bilateral agreements, such as in the Northern Territory for Howard Springs,” he said.

All COVID patients detected in hotel quarantine in Queensland are currently being sent to hospital for treatment, instead of recovering at the hotel.

And on Sunday, Health Minister Yvette D’Ath revealed that the state government was considering sending COVID patients to just one hospital instead of spreading them across multiple following the Princess Alexandra Hospital clusters.

There were no community acquired COVID cases recorded in Queensland on Monday, while four cases were detected in hotel quarantine from overseas arrivals.

Deputy Chief Health Officer Sonya Bennett described the latest case numbers as “pleasing”, as she pointed out that testing rates had dropped on Sunday.

“I just want to remind people if you haven’t already, please check the list of location exposure sites on the web and follow that advice,” Dr Bennett said.