Brisbane and Melbourne on high COVID alert after wastewater testing and airport bungle
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Melbourne and Brisbane have been issued urgent COVID-19 alerts after more viral fragments were discovered in wastewater across Victoria and travellers accidentally breached restrictions at Brisbane International Airport
Similar wastewater alerts have been issued before, but the latest warning comes after a strong and unexpected surge in viral fragments
As such, 246 people have been asked to get tested as a precaution given the viral fragments could indicate an active case travelling through the community
Meanwhile, hundreds of people at Brisbane International Airport have been potentially exposed to the virus after two travellers from Papua New Guinea unwittingly entered a green zone of the airport
Brisbane International Airport.
Photo: 123RF
Queensland authorities updated their advice late last night, with two locations of interest within Brisbane Airport.
Travellers who were at two locations of interest at the airport - Hudson s Cafe or the male toilet by Gate 79 - are now considered casual plus contacts of two foreign travellers who were wrongly allowed into the green zone area.
The two people were from Papua New Guinea, and one has tested positive for Covid-19.
Passengers who were in the two locations of interest are being asked to self isolate, and be tested.
They will need to remain isolated until they get a negative day five test result on Tuesday.
After testing one of the passengers involved in the breach at the airport yesterday has tested positive to COVID-19.
‘Anyone who was in the terminal between 9.45am and midday on Thursday, 29 April 2021, should monitor their symptoms and get tested immediately if they feel unwell,’ she said.
The man arrived on a flight from Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, yesterday morning.
He and his travel partner were mistakenly directed to the airport’s green departure zone, instead of the red zone for travellers from higher-risk countries.
They spent about two hours among passengers of three New Zealand-bound flights.
Closed-circuit television footage shows they spent most of that time in Hudson Café, had minimal interaction with other people and wore masks appropriately. The footage shows the table was also cleaned once they left.
Date Time
PNG passengers tested following Brisbane green zone error
Two transiting passengers from a flight from Papua New Guinea are being tested after a potential green zone breach in Brisbane International Airport this morning.
The pair were inadvertently directed into the airport’s green departure zone, instead of the red zone which is designated for travellers from higher-risk countries.
They were in the green zone for around 2 hours with other passengers due to depart for New Zealand.
Prior to entry into Queensland, both passengers reportedly tested negative for COVID-19.
Both passengers have also been tested in Brisbane this afternoon, with one passenger returning a negative result. The other test was equivocal, meaning it did not indicate either a positive or negative test.
Health by Brendan O’Malley
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