University of Southern Queensland shuts Springfield campus after academics visit Indooroopilly State High School where student tested positive

Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said the 17-year-old girl who tested positive had been infectious in the community for three days, including two days at her school.

University of Southern Queensland closed its Springfield campus on Friday as a precaution after two academics attended an expo at Indooroopilly State High School.

A Queensland university has shut one of its campuses as a precaution after staff attended an expo held at a major Brisbane school which closed due to a student testing positive for Covid-19.

The University of Southern Queensland closed its Springfield campus for the day on Friday.

It is understood three academics based at the Springfield campus attended an expo at Indooroopilly State High School on Thursday.

Indooroopilly State High School parents were told early on Friday morning the school would close for 48 hours so specialist cleaning could be conducted, after a 17-year-old girl tested positive.

Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said the 17-year-old girl who tested positive had been infectious in the community for three days, including two days at school.

Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said the new community case was a “mystery”. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Dr Young said she was “struggling to understand” how the girl acquired the virus.

The closure of USQ is a precaution, with no confirmed positive cases having visited the campus.

“Three members of staff from our Springfield campus attended an event at Indooroopilly State High School yesterday, and as a precaution we have closed the campus until Monday morning for cleaning,” a USQ spokesperson said.

The ‘senior subjection selection expo’ was held at Indooroopilly from 4-7.30pm and a poster promoting the event noted its “partners from the tertiary sector” would be in attendance.

The poster for an expo held at Indooroopilly State High School.

The event provided subject selection information for senior studies for Years 9 and 10 and tertiary course, apprenticeship and employment information for Years 11 and 12.

“Representatives who are responsible for international student enrolments from these universities will also be available,” it noted.

The list of partners providing displays for the event included USQ, the University of Queensland, the Queensland University of Technology, Griffith University, the Australian Defence Force Academy, SkillsTech, JMC Academy, TAFE, Barrington College, Aviation Australia, Australian Child Care Career Options and the Tactile Learning Centre.

A Griffith University spokesperson said four staff who attended the expo are now isolating and awaiting advice from Queensland Health.

Two of the staff members were briefly on campus after hours to return a university vehicle which is now being deep cleaned.

A community vaccination hub in Ipswich has also closed for cleaning after the Covid positive student visited there on Thursday.

The centre in the Nicholas Street Precinct will remain closed for the rest of the day.

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