Covid-19 Sunshine Coast: Infectious woman visited restaurant, Sunshine Plaza
Two popular Sunshine Coast restaurants and a shopping centre store are closed and staff will be tested after a woman visited the area while infectious with Covid-19.
Sunshine Coast
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Casual workers could be forced into isolation for 14 days after a woman dined at a popular Sunshine Coast restaurant while infectious with Covid-19.
Rice Boi and Spero at The Wharf Mooloolaba are closed after Queensland Health on Tuesday confirmed a woman in her 20s had dinner at Rice Boi on July 15 from 6.45-8pm while infectious.
It comes as Queensland Health release further exposure sites including cafes and stores in Noosa, Montville, Buderim and Flaxton.
Owner Tony Kelly said both restaurants would be closed on Tuesday because staff regularly worked between the two.
The fully vaccinated woman also visited Sunshine Plaza, specifically the Universal Store, between 3.55-4.15pm on July 15.
The store was closed on Tuesday morning.
Mr Kelly said the closure was a financial burden but one for which they were prepared.
“From the start of this Covid mess we had an inkling that there would be a time that this may happen, purely based on the number of people we feed,” he said.
“We have a detailed action plan that allowed us to have a professional clean and fogging through both venues within an hour.”
Mr Kelly said he was more concerned about the loss of wages for casual workers who would have to isolate while waiting for a Covid-19 test result.
“We’re not taking that lightly and will try to provide as much support as we can,” he said.
“Anything that helps them would be hugely important.”
He said customers who dined at Rice Boi at the same time as the woman would be contacted.
Chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young said she was particularly concerned about the potential exposure at Rice Boi.
“It is really critical that anyone who attended the Rice Boi restaurant … to immediately come forward and get tested and isolate until contacted by public health,” she said.
Dr Young said she suspected the new locally acquired case would have the Delta variant, which was circulating in Victoria.
The woman studies in Melbourne but lives in Mareeba.
She travelled from Melbourne to Maroochydore on July 13 and stayed with friends.
âš ï¸ Public Health Alert âš ï¸
— Queensland Health (@qldhealthnews) July 20, 2021
Queensland Health is issuing new contact tracing locations for: 📠Noosa Heads 📠Buderim ðŸ“Flaxton 📠Montville 📠Maroochydore 📠Mooloolaba📠Brisbane Airport ðŸ“Cairns
Full details can be found at https://t.co/rujm8F3qL4pic.twitter.com/cdN9QoILIj
Exposure sites on the Sunshine Coast include:
Feet First Footwear at 2/37 Hastings Street, Noosa Heads from 10.45- 11.10am on July 15
Noosa Heads Surf Life Saving Club at 69 Hastings Street, Noosa Heads from 11.26am- 12.00pm on July 15
The White Oak at Shop 5/ 35-39 Oakmont Drive, Buderim from 12.50pm - 1.00pm on July 15
Kondalilla Falls at Kondalilla Falls Road, Flaxton from 2.00- 2.45pm on July 15
Elements Tea House at 38 Kondalilla Falls Road, Montville from 2.45- 2.55pm on July 15
Myer Wing - Sunshine Plaza at 154-164 Horton Parade, Maroochydore from 3.40- 4.25pm on July 15
Universal Store - Sunshine Plaza at 154-164 Horton Parade, Maroochydore from 3.50-4.15pm
The Wharf restaurant precinct walkway, Rice Boi vicinity from 6.45- 7.30pm.
On Friday, July 16, she took an Uber at 12.50pm to Maroochydore station and then caught the 615 bus to Landsborough station.
She then went by train to Eagle Junction station, caught the Airtrain to Brisbane Airport and then caught Virgin flight VA791 from Brisbane to Cairns.
Rice Boi and Spero will reopen on Wednesday.
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