New cluster declared as UK virus strain spreads
Queensland health authorities are pleading with residents who visited a wide-ranging list of venues to come forward for testing as a cluster of the UK variant of coronavirus is declared.
Hotel Grand Chancellor, which has been used to house international arrivals was marked as a hotspot for the first time on Wednesday, as experts linked all six cases to the building.
Dr Jeanette Young, Queensland Health's chief health officer has announced that anyone who has been at that hotel since December 30 must get tested immediately.
She revealed the hotel will no longer be quarantining international arrivals and all 129 quarantined-occupants are being taken to another hotel as a precautionary measure.
“The safest thing to do, is to move all the guests out of the hotel to other hotels, immediately,” Dr Young said.
“That has now started. So all those 129 remaining people in that hotel will move. they will get tested.
“So far it‘s floor seven … and that’s where it has spread.
“We can’t work out exactly what happened and we are struggling to see how it got out.
“Police are leading the investigation.”
Venues:
Anyone who has been at the following venues at the following times and dates, must get tested even if they are not showing symptoms.
- Hotel Grand Chancellor, Brisbane City: Any time since December 30
- Woolworths Calamvale North: January 3, 11am-noon
- Bunnings Warehouse, Acacia Ridge: January 5, 2pm-2.40pm
- Nextra Newsagent, Sunnybank Hills: January 5, 8am-8.15am
- Coles Sunnybank Hills Shoppingtown: January 5, 7.30am-8am
- Sunnybank Cellars (formerly Lucky Star Bottler), Sunnybank: January 6, 2.05pm-2.15pm
Currently, six people have been diagnosed with the UK strain of coronavirus at Hotel Grand Chancellor, including a cleaner who passed the virus onto her partner.
Western Australia is also enforcing strict rules to combat the virus, with the state now making masks mandatory in all of its domestic airports.
Those who fail to adhere to the new rule will face an enormous fine of $50,000.
Premier Mark McGowan made the announcement yesterday, which applies to everyone over the age of 12.
Travellers are permitted to take off their masks while seated, to eat, drink and take medication.