Three men are caught 'lying their way into Queensland from Victoria' in another major border breach and one HAS coronavirus symptoms - as authorities warn of a ticking time bomb that could detonate in six days
- Three travellers from Victoria allegedly lied on their border declaration forms
- It is understood they lied to avoid entering hotel quarantine in Queensland
- One man began experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and reported to authorities
- The three men were taken to hotel quarantine and tested for coronavirus
- Health authorities warned the next six days would be make or break for QLD
There are fears of another coronavirus outbreak in Queensland after a man from Melbourne who was showing symptoms allegedly lied to enter the state.
A group of three men travelling from Victoria on Sunday allegedly lied on their declaration forms at the NSW-QLD border to avoid entering hotel quarantine.
An investigation was launched into the potential border breach after one of the men reported having COVID-19 symptoms.
It is understood the three men spent time in Logan, south of Brisbane, before the man began experiencing symptoms.
The man alerted health authorities and the group were taken into hotel quarantine by police overnight.
They are being tested for COVID-19 and no results have been confirmed.
A group of three men allegedly lied on their declaration forms at the NSW-Queensland border (pictured on July 10) before one man began to experience coronavirus symptoms
The three travellers from Victoria allegedly lied at the border (pictured on July 23) to avoid hotel quarantine and visited Logan, south of Brisbane, before the man reported his symptoms
The three men were taken to hotel quarantine by police overnight and have been tested for coronavirus (A woman wearing a facemask in Brisbane on July 19 pictured)
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Tuesday confirmed the men had been taken into hotel quarantine and tested for coronavirus.
'We don't want people to do this, it's not right.
'People are obviously lying on the declaration forms. It is undermining all of the great work that Queenslanders have done,' Ms Palaszczuk said.
Queensland currently has 12 active cases of coronavirus and reported zero new cases on Tuesday.
Seven people are in hospital and 9,900 Queenslanders were tested for coronavirus in the last 24 hours.
But Deputy Premier and Health Minister Steven Miles warned on Monday that this week could be make or break for the state as some people may not show symptoms for the next six days.
Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said it was disappointing to see people 'criminally deceive their way through' the Queensland border.
'What they’re doing, by telling lies deliberately, is having themselves charged with criminal offences and now having to front court down the track and then answer for their actions in a court of law,' he said.
Comissioner Gollschewski said ten notices to appear had been issued for people giving false statements on their border declarations.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk (pictured) said people lying on their border forms were 'undermining all of the great work that Queenslanders have done'
Health Minister Steven Miles warned on Monday that this week could be make or break for Queensland's coronavirus situation (QLD-NSW border pictured July 10)
The news comes as man returned to Queensland (border pictured July 10) and claimed diplomatic status was diagnosed with COVID-19 and revealed to be a security contractor
In a separate case, a man claiming diplomatic status who returned to Queensland and was subsequently diagnosed with COVID-19 was actually a security contractor, reinforcing the state government's call for a review of travel exemptions.
The man had permission to fly to the Sunshine Coast from NSW on Friday without having to go into quarantine.
But on Sunday he tested positive and is now in self-isolation with his wife in Maroochydore as health officials race to contact trace people who sat near him on the Jetstar flight from Sydney.
Queensland Health said the man was given an exemption to enter the state under arrangements agreed nationally in June by Australia's national cabinet of federal, state and territory leaders.
Olivia Winnie Muranga (left) and Diana Lasu, (right) both 19, arrived together in Brisbane from Melbourne via Sydney on July 21
It's now been revealed he was not a consular staff member and was in fact a security contractor who had recently returned from Kabul, Afghanistan.
'The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade wrote to confirm the man was 'travelling on essential Australian government business',' Queensland Health said in a statement released late on Monday.
'He confirmed he held a diplomatic passport and provided his passport number.'
But, the department said, this turned out to be not quite correct.
'We are concerned with the number of overall exemptions and the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee is reviewing criteria and will provide advice to national cabinet,' it said.
Ms Palaszczuk has said the exemption issue needs to be reviewed.
Ms Muranga allegedly went to work for two days at Parklands Christian College in Park Ridge, south of Brisbane. Pictured are people lining up at the college to get a COVID-19 test after a pop-up clinic was set up on Thursday
'I'm going to raise this at national cabinet,' she told reporters on Monday.
'There have been some exemptions. I don't think the time is right now for those exemptions.'
Ms Lasu (pictured) and Ms Muranga are accused of making false declarations on their border paperwork
'If we can close off any of those loopholes, it will keep everyone safe.'
Ms Palaszczuk said all overseas travellers should be required to go into mandatory hotel quarantine.
The news comes after three women were charged by police after they allegedly lied their way into Queensland from Victoria.
Olivia Winnie Muranga, Diana Lasu and an unidentified friend arrived together in Brisbane from Melbourne on Tuesday, July 21.
All Victorian residents were banned from entering Queensland from July 9, but the women were able to enter the Sunshine State by stopping off in Sydney.
The women allegedly travelled on Virgin Australia flight 863 from Melbourne to Sydney, to make it appear they hadn't come from Melbourne.
Shortly afterwards they allegedly boarded flight VA 977 to Brisbane.
Ms Muranga and Ms Lasu, as well as one of their immediate family members, last Wednesday became the first three cases of coronavirus in the Queensland community since May.
Queensland Police last Thursday afternoon said three women had been charged for allegedly providing false information on their border declarations.
Between them the pair visited 11 different venues in Brisbane while infected with COVID-19
A 19-year-old Heritage Park woman, a 21-year-old Acacia Ridge woman and a 21-year-old Algester woman were all charged with one count each of providing false or misleading documents and fraud.
The women could be fined $13,345 or sent to jail for a maximum of five years.
Police said the trio are now cooperating with officers and Queensland Health officials.
The women are in quarantine and will appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on September 28.
Ms Muranga allegedly went to work for two days at Parklands Christian College in Park Ridge, south of the city, before calling in sick and then going to see a doctor on Saturday, who said to get tested immediately.
Ms Muranga allegedly didn't go for her test until Monday and instead allegedly continued to attend venues in Ipswich and Brisbane, including a Thai restaurant in Springfield on Sunday and a Southbank cocktail bar on Monday.
Olivia Winnie Muranga (pictured), Ms Lasu and an unidentified family member were the first people in Queensland to test positive for COVID-19 since May
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2020-08-03 22:32:15Z
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