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Subscriber only Exactly a year ago Mackay faced one of its biggest challenges since war time as the first confirmed COVID-19 case spread fear through the community. On March 16 2020, news broke that a UK tourist had defied health orders and flown to Hamilton Island after being diagnosed with COVID-19 in Sydney. The woman was found on a Hamilton Island beach after NSW Health authorities alerted their Queensland counterparts. She was isolated on the island and transferred to Mackay Base Hospital. It is understood the woman s tourist visa was later cancelled and she was slapped with an exclusion penalty meaning she would not be able to return to Australia for three years.
Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said it was critical any unknown cases were detected “as quickly as possible through our testing system, to contain any potential spread”.
“We are concerned by the new variants that are emerging overseas that are more contagious than previous variants we have seen in Queensland,” Dr Young said. Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young is urging people to get tested if they are unwell. NCA NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi
“It’s also possible that this detection relates to previous COVID-19 cases that can shed viral fragments for a couple of months after they are no longer infectious.
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This follows three recently positive COVID-19 cases transiting through Brisbane Airport.
Dr Jeannette Young said the mask wearing direction is in place for exactly this reason. Anyone flying on a plane is reminded to wear a mask at the airport and during the flight.
Picture: Alex Coppel.
“We know most of our positive cases are overseas acquired in people travelling to Queensland on planes,” she said.
“This is why the Australian Government mandated mask wearing on planes and in airports, and we have put in place a specific public health direction in Queensland to enforce it.