Voco Hotel Surfers Paradise: Probe into suspected COVID-19 quarantine breach

Police and health officials are investigating a potential COVID-19 quarantine hotel breach, in which an individual who had to go to hospital ­visited a Gold Coast servo on the return trip.

Police outside the Voco Gold in Surfers Paradise. Picture: Jerad Williams.

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POLICE and health officials are investigating a potential COVID-19 quarantine hotel breach, in which an individual who had to go to hospital ­visited a Gold Coast servo on the return trip.

According to an email sent to local health workers, a man under lockdown at the VOCO Hotel in Surfers Paradise allegedly visited a 7-Eleven while returning from hospital in a taxi. The man was under strict quarantine orders at the time on January 3.

“Last night one of the VOCO hotel guests … was discharged from ED GCUH and put in a taxi,” a hospital email says.

“Unfortunately, on the way he decided to stop at a 7-11 store. I just wanted to let you know as all hotel quarantine guests are to travel to medical appointments/ED via an Ambulance – to the appointment/ED and back to hotel quarantine.”

The convenience store was on Ferny Ave, it’s understood.

They had originally travelled from the hotel to hospital via ambulance for emergency care.

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The Voco hotel in Surfers Paradise. Picture: Jerad Williams

A Queensland Health spokesman said: “There is an allegation that during the return trip, there may have been a quarantine breach.

“That has been referred to Queensland Police Service for investigation.”

It is understood the hotel guest and taxi driver were given instructions, including travel instructions, prior to leaving the Emergency Department. Proper PPE was supplied and used.

The guest had donned a new mask, sat in the back seat opposite the driver, and had the rear window down as part of the directive.

The guest completed hotel quarantine in early January and tested negative for COVID-19 three times. He had arrived on December 26 after flying in from Dubai.

Guests are now only transported in an ambulance for medical travel, following the emergence of new, more contagious variants of COVID-19.

Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates said Queenslanders needed to be reassured quarantine measures were secure.

“We need to have some answers around this latest incident. We are still waiting for answers around Hotel Grand Chancellor and what happened there, now it looks like we need more investigating on the Gold Coast.”

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Originally published as Voco Hotel Surfers Paradise: Probe into suspected COVID-19 quarantine breach