14 Tassie travellers linked to QLD hotel traced

Tasmanian travellers who completed international quarantine requirements at a Queensland hotel at the centre of a growing COVID-19 cluster have now been identified — 10 of them the crew of Incat’s new catamaran. LATEST >>

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Fourteen Tasmanian travellers who completed their international quarantine requirements at the Brisbane Grand Chancellor Hotel on or since December 30 have now been traced by Tasmanian health authorities.

According to Deputy State Controller Scott Tilyard, all 14 travellers have been contacted and are being managed on a precautionary basis.

Guests in quarantine at Brisbane’s Hotel Grand Chancellor getting transported in ambulances to other hotels. Photo: Tara Croser

The travellers must now undertake further quarantine and testing while the risk of exposure in Queensland is investigated.

Mr Tilyard said 10 of those travellers are the crew of Incat’s Buccoo Reef catamaran bound for Trinidad and Tobago and will quarantine on the vessel.

“At this stage there is no information to indicate any of the people have posed a COVID-19 risk to the community,” he said.

“They completed their 14 day quarantine period in Queensland as required and none were displaying any symptoms on their release from quarantine.

“All had returned negative tests at their time of departure from their quarantine in Queensland.

“However as a precautionary measure, due to a number of COVID cases in the hotel that was used in Brisbane, Tasmania is being extra cautious.

Guests in quarantine at Hotel Grand Chancellor getting transported in ambulances to The Westin in Brisbane City. Pics Tara Croser.

“Tasmania is putting a further quarantine period process in place for these travellers and they will be tested and monitored during this period.

“At this stage we have not identified a COVID risk to the wider community as all appropriate measures were followed. However we will continue to monitor the condition of the travellers and if further tracing is required this will be done immediately.”

The hotel was subject of a mass evacuation on Wednesday as a cluster of the highly infectious UK strain of COVID-19 grew to six.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said earlier today Queensland recorded four new cases overnight, none of which are in the Hotel Grand Chancellor.

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