The Queensland government has issued a “high-risk” alert for three locations in Brisbane after a doctor at the Princess Alexandra Hospital tested positive for coronavirus.
The junior doctor had contact with two positive COVID-19 cases, who were returned travellers, on Wednesday morning. She was infectious while in the community on Thursday afternoon.
The doctor developed symptoms on Friday morning and got tested immediately, returning a positive result that evening.
Authorities have since urged anyone who attended the Morning After Cafe in West End, the Corporate Box Gym in Greenslopes and the Stones Corner Hotel at certain times on 11 March to immediately isolate and get tested.
Hospitals, aged care and disability centres will be locked down for the next 72 hours.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said there was a very short window of time when the doctor was infectious in the community.
“We have had a very quick, very rapid response to the situation. The next 72 hours are very critical to see if there has been any further spread,” she said during a Saturday morning press conference.
The two patients that the doctor treated were infectious with the UK variant of coronavirus and it is expected the doctor also has the UK variant.
The Princess Alexandra Hospital remains in lockdown and visits have been halted to hospitals, aged care and disability centres across the greater Brisbane area.
Patients attending any hospital across greater Brisbane will be required to wear a face mask.
The lockdown means all non-essential visits to patients will not be allowed.
The Princess Alexandra Emergency Department will remain open but people have been urged to receive care at other hospitals or at a GP if possible.
Non-urgent outpatient bookings and elective surgery will be postponed.
Authorities said half of the health care workers who interact with Covid positive patients have been vaccinated so far, but that the doctor in question had not received their first dose of the vaccine.
“We are only in week three of the vaccination roll-out, so the risk of spread of COVID is still very real,” Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said.
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Check your jurisdiction’s restrictions on gathering limits.
If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, stay home and arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080. News and information is available in 63 languages at sbs.com.au/coronavirus
Please check the relevant guidelines for your state or territory: NSW, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Northern Territory, ACT, Tasmania.