Virus alert on Jetstar flight from Melbourne to Sydney

Health authorities are racing to track down 47 people on a Jetstar flight from Melbourne to Sydney after a passenger on the plane tested positive to COVID-19.

Health authorities are working to track down 47 passengers on a plane who did not go into quarantine after another passenger in quarantine tested positive to coronavirus. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard

NSW Health is racing against time to track down passengers on a Jetstar flight from Melbourne to Sydney who had special permits or quarantine exemptions, after a person on the plane tested positive to coronavirus.

There were 47 people on JQ510, which left Melbourne at 11am on September 27, who did not undergo mandatory quarantine.

Those deemed close contacts of the case have been advised to immediately get tested and isolate for 14 days and stay isolated for the entire period, even if a negative test result is received.

A spokesman for NSW Health said there is “no ongoing risk of infection to the general public”.

The plane case was announced as part of Friday’s new cases, a traveller from Victoria in hotel quarantine.

The majority of passengers on the Jetstar flight are already undertaking mandatory hotel quarantine.

Friday marked a full week for New South Wales with no community transmission, as Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced she would open the border to the state if it could achieve 28 days with no community transmission.

More to come.

Originally published as Virus alert on Jetstar flight from Melbourne to Sydney