‘They’re the big risk’: Threat on the horizon despite cluster fears easing

While the state’s Chief Health Officer says the risks associated with the Beenleigh cluster are decreasing, she remains concerned about another ‘big risk’ factor.

The risk associated with Logan’s Beenleigh Covid-19 cluster is decreasing, despite authorities still unable to track down a handful of customers who visited a nail salon.

No new locally acquired cases were recorded yesterday, as the large majority of contacts associated with the four-year-old girl who attended the Boulevard Early Learning Centre at Mount Warren Park tested negative.

But while Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said the risk was reducing, she said Queensland’s current biggest risk were freight drivers because they could move freely between hot spots and into Queensland.

“We’ve seen over the weekend, we had two new freight drivers plus we had the freight driver down in Beenleigh, so they’re the big risk, which is why we need to keep wearing masks,” she said.

“That’s absolutely vitally important … (and) get vaccinated as soon as we possibly can.”

Queensland Chief Health officer Jeannette Young. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Jono Searle

The five staff who worked at the Stylish Nails salon at Beenleigh Marketplace last Monday morning, when the Logan truck driver and four-year-old girl visited, have tested negative.

After CCTV was trawled through to identify customers who didn’t check in, four have tested negative.

However there are still three or four more customers who authorities haven’t been able to identify.

“So we have them on CCTV footage, but we can’t identify them through that process,” Dr Young said.

“So we’re working with police, and with the Stylish Nails salon to try and identify those people.”

Dr Young said she was less concerned after learning the person who sat in the chair next to the four-year-old girl had tested negative.

“So we’ve identified that person and the gentleman, our original case sat in one chair away next to the entrance, so I think we found the highest risk cases in that salon,” she said.

“But I really would like to find those other three or four customers that we’ve identified on CCTV footage.

“So please, anyone who attended the Stylish Nails salon last Monday … could you please come forward so that we can test you, you are still a concern, and it’s really important that we get hold of you.”

Queenslanders have again been urged to check in when visiting venues or locations.

Meanwhile Deputy Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said there was now sufficient hotel quarantine availability.

More than 800 rooms are now available for both international and domestic arrivals.

Five overseas acquired cases were detected in hotel quarantine on Monday.

Originally published as ‘They’re the big risk’: Threat on the horizon despite cluster fears easing