By Sarah McPhee
Recent arrivals from certain parts of south-east Queensland into NSW are being asked by public health officials to be vigilant and new arrivals will need to fill out passenger declaration forms from Saturday, after a young man tested positive to COVID-19, as a locally acquired case, in Brisbane.
“Should Queensland Health identify any close contact venues, anyone who attended those venues during the relevant times is prohibited from entering NSW,” NSW Health said in a statement on Friday. “If they are already in NSW they must immediately get tested and go into isolation for 14 days.”
NSW Health has issued a public health alert after Queensland recorded a locally acquired case of COVID-19 in Brisbane. Credit:Getty
Queensland Health on Friday night classified one venue as requiring a “close contact” response.
Anyone who attended Mamma’s Italian Restaurant, 69 Redcliffe Parade, Redcliffe, in Brisbane’s north-east, between 12.30pm and 3.10pm on March 21 must quarantine at home immediately for 14 days since visiting, even if a negative COVID-19 test result is received, and complete a contact tracing self-assessment if not already contacted by Queensland Health.
Eight further locations across Brisbane have been identified as “casual contact” venues, including a Westfield, Aldi and Bunnings, and another two locations as “low risk”.
NSW Health said: “Anyone who has attended casual contact venues listed on the [Queensland Health] website during the relevant times is asked to immediately get tested regardless of symptoms and self-isolate until a negative result is returned.”
Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said the man, a landscaper from Stafford in the city’s north, developed symptoms on Monday and was tested at Nundah on Thursday.
The 26-year-old returned a positive result for the B.1.1.7 variant, also known as the UK strain.
He is being treated at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.
Dr Young said the man was highly contagious and had been infectious while visiting restaurants and shops in the city since March 19.
His case has since been linked by genomic testing to a doctor who had treated COVID-19 patients at Princess Alexandra Hospital, which was plunged into lockdown after a cluster was announced on March 12.
Dr Young said it was likely that an “unidentified intermediary” had passed the virus on to the latest case.
In its public health alert, NSW Health said anyone who had been in the Brisbane City Council or Moreton Bay Regional Council areas since March 20 “should avoid non-essential visits to hospitals and residential aged care facilities and disability residential care services until further notice”.
“People who have been in the Brisbane City Council or Moreton Bay Regional Council areas since 20 March who work in these facilities should check with their employer, monitor the Queensland Health website for further advice and use masks when at work,” it said.
“If symptoms develop, you should get tested immediately and isolate until you receive a negative result.”
In a second alert on Friday night, NSW Health said it “continues to closely monitor the situation”.
“Anyone entering NSW from 12.01am on Saturday 27 March who has been in Brisbane City Council or Moreton Bay Regional Council areas in the past 14 days will be required to fill out a passenger declaration form, which includes confirmation of whether they have visited any venues of high concern,” it said.
“This information is important to help NSW Health contact travellers if required.”
On social media, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said there was “no need for alarm”.
“We’ve stepped up as a community before, and I’m confident we will again,” she said. “I know it’s been a long and hard year, but this isn’t over. We just have to keep up the fight.”
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Sarah McPhee is a breaking news reporter with The Sydney Morning Herald.
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2021-03-26 09:13:21Z
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