Gold Coast coronavirus outbreak: Hair Plus beautician diagnosed with COVID-19

Authorities are trying to track down up to 40 people who went to a Gold Coast salon after a beautician was diagnosed with coronavirus.

AUTHORITIES are trying to track down up to 40 people who went to a Gold Coast salon after a beautician was diagnosed with the potentially deadly coronavirus.

The 63-year-old patient returned from Iran and was working at Hair Plus beauty salon at Australia Fair shopping centre this week.

The woman is currently in isolation at the Gold Coast University Hospital in a stable condition.

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Queensland Health state’s chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young said the beautician saw up to 40 clients for facial treatments.

“She had a number of clients each for brief interactions, so we believe the risk is incredibly low,” she said.

“Because as soon as she had her first symptom she spoke to her manager and she went home and she went to Gold Coast University Hospital to get tested.”

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Australia Fair Shopping Centre at Southport. Pic Tim Marsden

Health Minister Steven Miles said Queensland Health would contact clients who had appointments at the Hair Plus salon on Thursday 27 February and may have been in close contact with the woman.

“We are asking anyone who attended Hair Plus at Australia Fair from 11am onwards on

Thursday 27 February to go to the Gold Coast University Hospital,” he said.

“If you went to Australia Fair but did not go to that particular hair salon on Thursday, there is no need for concern, but if you would like any advice please ring 13 HEALTH.”

Australia Fair’s Hair Plus owner Amy Hope said the store was trading as usual today after being cleared by Queensland Health.

“It has not been a good day,” she said.

“None of us (the staff) are unwell and have been cleared.

“She was not too sick when she came to work but then came down with a fever at about 4pm on Thursday and went home.

“She is a lovely lady and we just wish her all the best.”

Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said they have issued a contact tracing alert for the coronavirus after a woman arrived to the Gold Coast with the virus. Picture: Sarah Marshall

Dr Young said Queensland Health was deploying the same strategy used to trace measles in the community to prevent the disease spreading.

“Safety of Queenslanders – in this case people on the Gold Coast – is our number on priority,” she said.

“Our contact tracing procedures are well underway and we want to take every opportunity to raise awareness of this issue in the community.

“Queensland Health has very rigorous contact tracing procedures in place and we do this very well dozens of times a year for measles – a disease significantly more infectious than COVID-19.”

A 63-year-old patient is currently in isolation at the Gold Coast University Hospital in a stable condition. Photo: Mike Batterham

Dr Young said “washing your hands often and properly” was the best way to avoid the virus and the public should be on alert for any symptoms of the illness.

Gold Coast Health had established extra fever clinics to help manage demand for testing.

A number of clinical symptoms have been reported in identified cases of COVID-19, including: fever, a dry cough, sore throat, fatigue and shortness of breath.

There have now been nine people in Queensland with COVID-19 including the three people from the Diamond Princess Cruise Ship.

There are a total of 23 confirmed cases in Australia and globally there is more than 84,119 and 2867 deaths.

Majority of cases have occurred in China but there have also been major outbreaks in Italy, Iran, South Korea and Japan.

If you have been overseas in the last 14 days and feel unwell please immediately see a doctor. Please call ahead to the GP surgery or hospital to let them know you may be infected with the novel coronavirus.