Queensland school is plunged into isolation after students claim they travelled to Melbourne and back as the state frantically tracks down close contacts of Covid-positive truckie
- Queensland Premier announced two new cases in state parliament on Thursday
- One is a Gold Coast truck driver infectious in the community for five days
- A Gold Coast school had also been order to isolate after reports of interstate trip
A Gold Coast truck driver is under investigation after Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told state parliament he was one of two new Covid cases in the state.
The driver, who lives on the Gold Coast, travelled from Sydney and is believed to have been infectious in the community from August 28 until September 1.
He is now believed to be back in New South Wales.
Another new case was detected in hotel quarantine.
The premier also said a Gold Coast school – the Australian International Islamic College at Carrara – had shut and students and staff would go into 14 days quarantine after some students boasted about taking a trip to Melbourne while the city is in lockdown.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told state parliament a truck driver was under investigation as one of two new Covid cases on Thursday morning
Students and staff of the Australian International Islamic College at Carrara are in 14 days quarantine after some students boasted about taking a trip to Melbourne during its lockdown
Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said a family of five with children at the college recently travelled to Melbourne and travelled back to Queensland by road via an undetected inland route.
The family are now in hotel quarantine.
The children of the family attended the Islamic College on August 31, Ms D’Ath said.
She said the family had so far proved uncooperative in being tested or providing more detail on their movements.
Some members of the family were reported to be unwell but Ms D’Ath said it was not clear as yet whether they were Covid-positive.
‘The family has now been placed into mandatory 14-day hotel quarantine and I urge them to co-operate with authorities,’ Ms Palaszczuk said.
‘This is very serious.
‘We need this family to co-operate with authorities.’
Ms D’Ath also told parliament the truck driver, from Pimpama on the northern Gold Coast, was now being sought for interview by contact tracers.
‘Queensland Health is seeking to locate this man to investigate his exposure sites and where he has been.’
She asked Gold Coast residents to check the Queensland Health website for further information as it came to hand.
Ms Palaszczuk also told parliament that Cairns Convention Centre would open as a mass vaccination hub from September 10
Ms Palaszczuk defended her warning in parliament yesterday about the effects of the Delta variant on children.
She restated her request for more modelling on the effects of the virus on unvaccinated children.
‘This is a serious issue that needs a serious discussion,’ she said.
‘These are questions that I want answers to. These are questions that Queenslanders want answers to.
‘So rather than everyone attacking, let’s get the answers and let’s have serious discussions.’
Ms Palaszczuk also told parliament that Cairns Convention Centre would open as a mass vaccination hub from September 10.
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