The ABC News Breakfast team including Michael Rowland, Lisa Millar and weather presenter Nate Byrne have been forced into self-isolation after a relative of a crew member tested positive for coronavirus. Lisa shared the news on social media on Wednesday night, explaining that the floor manager’s wife had contracted Covid-19 and is now being tested.
“Hopefully, this is just a short break in transmission — @mjrowland68, @SciNate and I won’t be on @breakfastnews Thurs,” she wrote on Twitter. “Our fabulous floor manager Jo’s wife has Covid-19. She’s ok but Jo is now being tested. Since we hang out so much we’re going to self-isolate till we know more.”
She continued in further tweets: “Leaving the show for the moment goes above and beyond the requirements of the Health Department, but the ABC wants to take the extra precaution for the wellbeing of everyone who works here and in the interests of public safety.
“Better to be safe than sorry with Covid-19 (and also nice to watch the program in pyjamas with coffee in hand).Thanks to @Mad_Morris and @benknight38 and @Georgie_tunny. Will pop on to say hi shortly (when I’m out of pyjamas) @BreakfastNews.
https://twitter.com/LisaMillar/status/1288569716450054144
Michael also shared the news on Twitter, saying: “@LisaMillar, @SciNate and yours truly won’t be presenting @BreakfastNews tomorrow. The wife of our fabulous floor manager Joe has tested positive to Coronavirus and, as close contact, he too has today had a test. As we all work closely with Joe every morning.
“The ABC has made the decision the presenting team should also self-isolate while Joe waits for his result. This goes above and beyond Health Department requirements, but this precaution is being taken for the wellbeing of other ABC staff in Melbourne and in the interests of public safety.
The news comes after Queensland recorded two new cases of Covid-19 yesterday after two 19-year-old women returned to the state’s capital from Melbourne and made the decision not to follow strict self-quarantine guidelines, despite displaying symptoms. The girls, who live in separate households in Brisbane’s south, returned to Brisbane from the Victorian capital, via Sydney, on July 21. Wednesday’s confirmed cases are the first to have been detected outside of hotel quarantine in Queensland since May.