Brisbane venues visted by COVID-19 positive doctor revealed

A cafe, gym and hotel on Brisbane’s southside, as well as a McDonald’s, were among the venues visited by a doctor who has tested positive to COVID-19 after working with coronavirus patients at the PA Hospital.

A cafe, gym and popular hotel are among those places visited by a Brisbane doctor who has tested positive to COVID-19.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk this morning said visitors would be limited to hospitals, aged care, youth detention facilities, prisons and disability centres in the greater Brisbane area, but that there would be no broader community lockdown.

Ms Palaszczuk said the next 72 hours would be critical.

“I don’t want everyone to be alarmed at present, we’ve got some detailed contact tracing happening,” she said.

“The doctor has spent limited time in the community so that is also a positive for us.”

Ms Palaszczuk said it was still unknown if the doctor, who was working at the Princess Alexandra Hospital at Buranda, had the UK strain of Covid-19.

The UK variant of COVID-19 is believed to be 30 to 100 per cent more deadly.

“The patients she was treating have the UK strain but we do not yet know if the doctor has that same strain, although we are expecting that to be the case.”

A number of “high-risk’ venues on Brisbane’s southside have been revealed after they were visited by the doctor on Thursday while she was infectious.

Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital. Picture: David Clark

The high-risk locations are the Morning After Cafe at West End, from 2pm to 3.15pm on Thursday, as well as the Corporate Box Gym at Greenslopes from 5.45pm to 7pm.

The doctor then visited the Stones Corner Hotel from 6.30pm - 7.45pm.

Anyone who was at those venues during those times should get tested immediately and isolate.

Venues considered low-risk are McDonald’s at Coorparoo from 3.10-3.20am (drive-through) and the Corporate Box Gym at Greenslopes after 7pm.

Anyone who was those venues between those times should monitor for symptoms.

The Morning After cafe has been closed until further notice while owners organise for the venue to be deep-cleaned.

“Unfortunately it will take some time to have everything implemented to come back safe,” the cafe wrote online.

“Hopefully Monday and Tuesday.”

Corporate Box Gym East Brisbane will be closed for at least 24 hours for deep cleaning.

“We will be closing for next 24 hours due to a direct COVID contact and will be getting an extensive deep clean,” the business wrote online.

“We ask anyone who has been in the Stones corner to be super vigilant as contact tracing is still running live.”

The gym urged anyone with symptoms to immediately get tested.

The Stones Corner Hotel was cleaned this morning and is open for trade today.

The Stones Corner Hotel has been deep cleaned.

Acting Chief Health Officer Dr Sonya Bennett said the doctor, who had worked with proper protective gear, had had limited contact with others in the community while infectious.

Dr Bennett said Queensland Health was working closely with the venues identified.

“Anyone who is potentially exposed will be going into quarantine and managed,” she said.

It is understood the doctor presented for testing on Friday after developing symptoms and returned a positive result about 4.30pm.

The Princess Alexandra Hospital was placed into lockdown on Friday night and contact tracing is now under way.

It comes as Queensland recently began its rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine aimed at protecting frontline staff.

Three other cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in Queensland in the past 24 hours, all of them in hotel quarantine.

With a broader community lockdown not completely ruled out, Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate urged the Premier to try and avoid the strict measure.

“The Premier will be guided by the Chief Medical Officer however, I urge the State to not put Brisbane into a hard lockdown.,” Cr Tate said.

“The arrival of the vaccine has given all communities a huge advantage. The hard lock down days are hopefully behind us so I hope a cautionary approach can be taken.

“Stop-start lockdowns seriously impact business, and traveller, confidence.”

The last Brisbane lockdown, in January at the peak of the school holidays, hammered struggling Gold Coast tourism operators who rely heavily on the southeast Queensland ‘drive market’ for visitors.

- Additional reporting Greg Stolz

Originally published as Brisbane venues visted by COVID-19 positive doctor revealed