Coronavirus: Australia’s youngest virus victim identified as 30-year-old miner Nathan Turner

The 30-year-old Queensland man was found dead in his home by his partner, with a nurse who continued working while sick suspected of being the source of his infection.

The North Rockhampton Nursing Centre in Rockhampton. Picture: AAP.

Australia’s youngest coronavirus victim is Queensland miner Nathan Turner.

The 30-year-old, who had other health issues and was showing symptoms of the virus for three weeks, was found unconscious by his partner Tuesday afternoon after she returned home in the mining town of Blackwater, in central Queensland.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced the death Wednesday morning, describing it as an “unfolding situation” and that the diagnosis of COVID-19 had only been made after he died.

There had been no prior cases of COVID-19 in the Blackwater region, and the man had not left the town since February and not travelled overseas.

30-year-old coronavirus victim Nathan Turner.

Ms Palaszczuk said the man had been showing symptoms prior to his death, and also had other health issues. It is understood he was on workers’ compensation.

Authorities are investigating whether a nurse, who earlier this month contracted the virus and continued working at a central Queensland aged care facility while feeling unwell, is the suspected source of the infection of Mr Turner.

Queensland Health authorities have established that the nurse, who has not been identified, travelled the 167km from Rockhampton to Blackwater before she was diagnosed with the virus.

The nurse has been interviewed by authorities

Sources told The Australian that the nurse was in Blackwater on May 10, four days before she returned a positive test after working a number of shifts at the state-run North Rockhampton Nursing Centre.

The nurse is believed to have been contagious since May 3 and had continued working while showing symptoms from May 5.

Authorities suspect the nurse contracted the virus in Brisbane.

More than 200 residents and staff at the facility tested negative to COVID-19 after she was first identified as having the virus.

The nurse has been suspended and has been referred to the Crime and Corruption Commission for a possible investigation into an alleged breach of public health directions after working in the Rockhampton facility.

Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young told reporters the man, who had a complicated health history, was showing symptoms for several weeks and tested positive to the virus after his death.

His partner is now sick and has been taken to Rockhampton Hospital.

The case is the first recorded in Blackwater, near Emerald in central Queensland, and residents with symptoms are being urged to get tested immediately.

“It appears that this gentleman who has passed away was ill for some time and did not get tested,” Health Minister Steven Miles said on Wednesday.

“I know that men sometimes fob off their illnesses - they don’t go and get medical assistance - but it’s incredibly important right now that anyone with symptoms goes and gets tested.

“This message is particularly important for all the blokes out there.’’

Police and ambulance were called to the home in Blackwater on Tuesday afternoon, where the man’s partner had found him unresponsive after she returned home from work.

The police and ambulance officers who attended the scene are also now in quarantine.

The death has been referred to the coroner, who will investigate whether the virus or the man’s other known illnesses caused his death.

A team of public health experts and additional contact tracing resources have been deployed from Brisbane to Blackwater to track the possible source of the virus, with testing available at Blackwater Hospital from Wednesday. A fever clinic also will be established at the Blackwater Rodeo Grounds from 8am on Thursday.

“I have four planes on the ground two in Townsville and two in Brisbane that we can use to go and get anyone who’s a confirmed case and move them to Rockhampton or to Brisbane,” Dr Young added.

It is the seventh COVID-19 related death in Queensland.