Two new Covid-19 cases in Qld: ‘Reckless’ teens returned from Vic, did not quarantine

Queensland has recorded two new cases of Covid-19, 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.

Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Dr Jeanette Young chastised the two women on Wednesday, as she addressed the media with Health Minister Steven Miles, and branded their behaviour as “reckless”. The girls, who live in separate households in Brisbane’s south, returned to Brisbane from the Victorian capital, via Sydney, on July 21.

“It is very disappointing this has occurred. Two young women returned from Melbourne, which we know is an absolute hot spot with a lot of cases, return from Melbourne on the 21 July via Sydney and now tested positive,” Dr Young said this morning.

“As a result of that, a lot of people are going to be inconvenienced. And I do apologise to those people for what is now going to have to do occur. But we know that if we act really fast now we can stop this spreading further and cause even more inconvenience to a lot of people.”

As a result of the new positive cases, visitors are now banned from entering aged care facilities in Brisbane’s Metro South area and staff will undergo enhanced screening to prevent outbreaks, the likes of which are happening in Melbourne. Staff will also no longer be able to work across multiple facilities.

Young added that there is no evidence the infected women visited any aged care facilities, but that these actions were being taken to eliminate any risks.

She added: “These two young women have been out in the community for eight days while unwell. So please, anyone who lives in that Logan, Acacia Ridge, Springfield Lakes area, if you have any symptoms at all or if you are concerned, please come forward immediately and get tested… If you are unwell, stay at home and isolate yourself.”

The state’s health minister confirmed that Queensland’s contract tracers are currently working to contact anyone who may have come into contact with the girls, one of whom works as a cleaner at Parklands Christian College, which has since been closed to undergo deep cleaning.

Miles said: “These young women have gone about their business with in the communities that they live in and so there will be a large amount of contact tracing to be done, largely within the Logan and Springfield areas, including shopping malls, restaurants and a church.”

Today’s confirmed cases are the first to have been detected outside of hotel quarantine in Queensland since May.

Queensland Police confirmed that they will allege the women provided false information on their border declaration passes in order to enter the state last week. Deputy commissioner Steve Gollschewski said: “I can say to you that there is an investigation that is ongoing into the circumstances of these two young women coming back from Victoria into Queensland, including the way that they got through the border and the fact that they were in the community for eight days when they should have been quarantined.”