COVID: Nursing home Tricare on high alert after Gold Coast tradie tests positive for coronavirus

A Gold Coast nursing home is on high alert after a city tradie working on refurbishments - who is also a hen's party entertainer - tested positive for COVID-19.

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A Gold Coast nursing home is on high alert after a city tradie working on refurbishments - who is also a hen's party entertainer - tested positive for COVID-19.

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At a press conference on Tuesday morning, Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young confirmed the Gold Coast contractor, who was an entertainer at a Byron Bay hen's party, had attended Tricare Mermaid Beach, after the Bulletin was informed of the situation ahead of time.

A list of the Gold Coast venues visited by the entertainer has since been released.

Dr Young said nursing home residents had already received an initial vaccination, but staff still needed jabs.

Tricare Mermaid Beach on Tuesday morning. Picture: Glenn Hampson

“ ... every resident in that aged care facility has already been vaccinated, had their first dose," she said.

"I haven’t had confirmation whether any have received their second dose.

“We’re working with the Commonwealth to respond to that aged care facility.

"The team down at the Gold Coast are organising to go to the Gold Coast today and vaccinate the staff of that facility."

Tricare Mermaid Beach. Picture: Glenn Hampson

Earlier Tuesday morning, the Bulletin was forwarded a letter written by the facility manager of Tricare Mermaid Beach on Monday night, which outlined concerns.

In the letter to “families and representatives”, the Tricare manager wrote the facility had “received news that a contractor involved with the refurbishments who was onsite today has returned a positive test for COVID-19”.

“The contractor left the site immediately after he was notified of being a close contact to a confirmed case,” the letter reads.

“The contractor had no direct contact with any residents for the two hour period that (they) was on site.

“All contractors have left the site until negative test and quarantine period as required (sic).”

The letter states the facility has been working with “health authorities” and following directions.

“Tricare Mermaid Beach is in full lockdown with strict PPE (personal protective equipment) requirements,” it reads.

“Monitoring and surveillance of all residents and staff will continue as a priority.”

The manager said daily updates would be provided and any changes would be announced.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said on Tuesday morning there had been eight new locally acquired cases overnight.

Of those cases, six are close contacts of confirmed cases and two cases were under investigation.

Two cases acquired overseas were detected in hotel quarantine.

There's 78 active cases in Queensland - up from just five about a month ago - and more than 14,580 tests had been carried out over the past 24 hours.

On Monday, the Queensland Government announced a shock lockdown after cases of COVID-19 transmission were detected in the community.

Tricare issued a statement on its website and said the tradie had "limited interaction with two staff members" during two hours spent at the nursing home.

"The contractor had no direct contact with any aged care residents and limited interaction with two staff members. Both staff are quarantining as per Queensland Health Directions," the statement reads.

"The contractor’s temperature was taken on commencement of work on Monday with a non-elevated reading.  When advised he was a close contact of a confirmed case, he left the site immediately, as did all other contractors working at the site.

"We are treating this situation as extremely serious and are working closely with the Public Health Unit and following their directions. The aged care residence is in full lock-down and following personal protective equipment protocol."

Tricare said the first phase of COVID-19 vaccinations at the facility occurred on March 11.

"All residents, with the exception of those unwell or where consent was not provided, received the first dose of the vaccine. Additionally, twenty staff were also vaccinated on that day. The next phase of the vaccination is imminent and is being expedited to the earliest possible date," it reads.

"Monitoring our residents and staff remains our top priority. No resident or staff member has displayed symptoms of the virus at this stage.

"We will release further information as it comes to hand."

Originally published as COVID: Nursing home Tricare on high alert after Gold Coast tradie tests positive for coronavirus