Coronavirus Australia live: QLD hotel cluster debacle spreads
The debacle surrounding a cluster of the UK super strain at a Brisbane hotel has spread interstate, with residents ordered to test and isolate.
less than 2 min read
January 13, 2021 - 9:10PM
The debacle surrounding a cluster of the 'mutant' UK virus strain at a Brisbane hotel has spread interstate, with certain residents in Victoria and NSW ordered to test and isolate immediately.
Anyone in NSW who has been at Brisbane's Hotel Grand Chanceller since December 30 – either as a returned traveller or as a staff member – to immediately get tested and isolate for 14 days after they were last at the hotel, regardless of their test result.
NSW Health has also requested these people call 1300 066 055 for further advice.
In a statement, NSW Health said they had been notified by their Queensland counterparts that there were NSW people staying at the hotel who have since returned to NSW.
"This variant is known to spread more easily from person to person than other strains of the COVID-19 virus," the department said.
Victorians have been issued the same advice, but are instead asked to call 1800 675 398 and only need to quarantine until they receive a negative result.
Meanwhile, a man told he has to complete back-to-back stints in quarantine has said the experience is starting to feel like he’s a prisoner, as he was preparing to leave moments before he got the bad news.
Umair Ahsan had just completed his quarantine at the Grand Chancellor when he was told he had to quarantine again due to an outbreak of a highly infectious mutant UK strain at the hotel.
Mr Ahsan arrived at the Grand Chancellor in December and has taken two coronavirus tests, both which returned negative results.
“We were supposed to leave yesterday night and my friend was downstairs to pick me up,” Mr Ashan said. He said he then heard he’d be required to do another quarantine in a new hotel.
“It feels like a jail now. We need to do another quarantine in another hotel.”
Visit our latest blog here or read on for all the earlier updates.
Updates
Two foreign military officials test positive in Darwin
On top of the case at Howard Springs, the Australian Defence Force has confirmed it's detected two positive COVID-19 cases in foreign military officials.
The two people, part of a group of foreign military officials and their dependents, came to the Northern Territory on January 11 and were quarantining at a Darwin CBD hotel.
It's understood one of the cases is a military official, while the other is the partner of another official.
Close contacts of the two cases have been moved to the Howard Springs quarantine facility as a precaution, the ADF said.
One new case in the NT
The Top End has reported one new case of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours – a woman who recently returned to Australia from India, currently in quarantine in the Northern Territory.
NT Health said the 59-year-old landed in Darwin on January 8, where she entered quarantine at the Howard Springs facility.
The department said she'll remain there under the care of specialist health teams.
Returned Victorian travellers issued public health order
Similar to NSW, anyone currently in Victoria who completed 14 days of mandatory hotel quarantine at Brisbane's Grand Chancellor Hotel on or after December 30 has been asked to isolate and contact the coronavirus hotel on 1800 675 398 immediately.
If that's you, you must get tested and quarantine at home until you receive a negative result.
The Victorian Government have announced Greater Brisbane (which includes Moreton Bay, Redlands, Logan and Ipswich) "will continue to remain in the red zone and travel to Victoria will not be permitted without an exemption, exception or permitted worker pass".
Helpful tip for anyone who's forgotten the mask
With face masks now mandatory for a number of states in certain settings, here's a…handy reminder of what you can do if you forget yours.
While I question its efficiency, I'm sure it's great for ventilation…
While there were no new locally-acquired COVID-19 cases in South Australia in the last 24 hours, there have been two new infections in returned international travellers.
Both cases are men in their 30s who have been in a medi-hotel since their arrival.
They bring the state's total number of active cases to 12 (all returned travellers in hotel quarantine) and overall case tally to 590.
'Get tested immediately': NSW order for hotel guests
NSW Health have called on anyone who has been at Brisbane's Hotel Grand Chanceller since December 30 – either as a returned traveller or as a staff member – to immediately get tested and isolate for 14 days after they were last at the hotel, regardless of their test result.
NSW Health has also requested these people call 1300 066 055 for further advice.
The warning comes after Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk revealed this morning that six cases of the "mutant" UK strain of COVID-19 have now been linked to the hotel.
Of those cases, one includes a cleaner whose infection sent Brisbane into a strict three-day lockdown over the weekend.
In a statement, NSW Health said they had been notified by their Queensland counterparts that there were NSW people staying at the hotel who have since returned to NSW.
"This variant is known to spread more easily from person to person than other strains of the COVID-19 virus," the department said.
One new case in WA
Western Australia has recorded one new case of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours – a woman who returned from overseas and is currently in hotel quarantine.
There are currently 15 active cases in WA.
The new case brings the state's total tally to 879.
South Australia scraps hard border with regional NSW
South Australia’s Premier Steven Marshall has announced the hard border between SA and regional NSW will be scrapped after midnight tonight.
“We're making one change this afternoon, which relates to New South Wales. And as of one minute past midnight tonight, we'll be opening up for people coming in from regional New South Wales,” Mr Marshall said today.
The border will remain in place for Greater Sydney, Wollongong, the Central Coast and the Blue Mountains, the Premier said.
Picture: Mike Burton
“If you're outside of those areas, you can come into South Australia.”
The Premier said people from NSW who do cross the border are required to get tested for coronavirus on day one, day five and day 12 after their arrival in the state.
The current hard border arrangement for “high community transmission zones in and around Sydney will remain for the time being,” he said.
‘Like a jail’: Grand Chancellor guest forced into second quarantine
A traveller caught up in Brisbane’s Grand Chancellor hotel outbreak has described his ongoing quarantine debacle, saying it feels “like a jail”.
Umair Ahsan arrived at the Grand Chancellor in December and has taken two coronavirus tests, both which returned negative results.
He was about to complete quarantine when he was told he would have to quarantine a second time, at a new facility because of the outbreak of a highly infectious mutant UK strain at the hotel.
“We were supposed to leave yesterday night and my friend was downstairs to pick me up,” Mr Ashan said. He said he then heard he’d be required to do another quarantine in a new hotel.
“It feels like a jail now. We need to do another quarantine in another hotel.”
“Obviously its very tough, you know … You’re doing everything right but then you have to face another quarantine.
“We’ll see how it goes.”
Luna Park fined $5k for illegal NYE party
NSW Police have fined the operators of Luna Park $5000 after a New Year’s Eve event breached coronavirus restrictions.
Luna Park, which is on Sydney’s North Shore, was under coronavirus restrictions at the time. North Shore police began an investigation earlier this month after they were sent mobile phone video of a “large crowd gathered at the Milsons Point venue in possible breach of a Public Health Order”, NSW Police said today.
Police said after reviewing more footage and conducting inquiries they fined the company secretary of Luna Park $5000 for not comply with noticed direction s7/8/9-COVID-19 – Corporation. The fine was given to the operator about 2pm today.
“Police continue to appeal to the community to report suspected breaches of any ministerial direction or behaviour which may impact on the health and safety of the community,” NSW Police said.
One Aussie state has revealed its next move on a major vaccine development project – which promises to change the way it responds to future health challenges.
