Princess Alexandra Hospital locked down in midst of escalating Queensland COVID crisis

Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital has been put into an emergency lockdown, with staff ordered to get tested for coronavirus.

A Brisbane hospital has been placed into an emergency lockdown as the city grapples with a serious COVID-19 outbreak.

Meanwhile, staff at another hospital have sent staff home, including midwives and doctors, after a recent visitor tested positive to the virus.

The Princess Alexandra Hospital was locked down on Tuesday afternoon, following an alert to staff.

Patients are being diverted to other hospitals but Princess Alexandra Hospital will still accept critical and category one elective surgery patients.

At least one new case recorded today is linked to the hospital.

Staff were told in an email that if they had worked at the hospital campus from noon today to not work at another Metro South Health facility until the lockdown was removed.

Staff who worked in Ward 5D since March 18 are also being urged to get tested immediately.

“If you have been in ward 5D since 18 March 2021, then you should be tested and receive a negative result before working in another facility,” the directive said.

The lockdown will enable the hospital to put in place processes to manage the COVID-19 crisis.

A nurse (left) is seen leaving the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Dan Peled

The hospital is the source of two cases that forced Greater Brisbane into a snap three-day lockdown.

An unvaccinated Princess Alexandra Hospital doctor - along with two others - tested positive to COVID-19 earlier this month.

The doctor was infected by a hotel quarantine guest who had the UK strain. That person is also believed to have infected another hotel quarantine guest, even though their rooms weren’t adjoining.

On day one of the 72-hour citywide lockdown, Queensland recorded eight new cases of community transmission.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the lockdown will be reviewed on Wednesday, however, the next two days will be crucial and will depend on how many more cases are seen in the state and whether they can be linked.

“Every one’s worried, but the good news is that so far, so good in terms they are linked.

“What we don’t want to see is unlinked community transmission out there so the next two days is critical for our contact tracers to get on top of this.”

The Federal Government on Tuesday declared Greater Brisbane a hotspot, with chief medical officer Paul Kelly saying the situation was escalating.

The Princess Alexandra Hospital during the three day lockdown on Tuesday. Picture: Josh Woning

“I can’t predict what’s going to happen in the next week or two,” Professor Kelly said.

“What happens now in relation to lockdown and very strong public health action, hopefully that will get on top of it.

“But at the moment those numbers are increasing.”

Meanwhile, Mater Mothers’ Hospital has sent staff home, including midwives and doctors, after a recent visitor tested positive to the virus.

It is understood the person visited the private maternity section and a nearby cafe that staff frequented.

More than two million people living in Brisbane, Moreton Bay, Redlands, Logan and Ipswich council areas can only go outside for essentials, for medical care, to exercise, and to work and study if they cannot do so at home.

Professor Kelly urged people to practice physical distancing and good hand hygiene ahead of the Easter long weekend.

“This virus has not gone away - it is circulating we know in the Brisbane area at least so people should be taking those precautions of the COVID-safe behaviours that we’ve been saying all the way along.”