QLD braces for outbreak as virus jumps border

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Queensland is staring down the barrel of a COVID outbreak following three separate seeding events, which may have imported the virus from NSW and Victoria.

Two Queensland truck drivers have tested positive to COVID and were believed to be infectious in the community.

The first driver was infectious in Queensland from the 28th of August to the first of September.

The second driver who lives between the Gold Coast and Brisbane was infectious from 27 August.

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Most worryingly, a family that illegally returned to Queensland from Melbourne via back roads may have spread the virus into the Gold Coast:

The Australian International Islamic College at Carrara on the Gold Coast was closed after it was revealed some of its students had “boasted” about illegally travelling back into Queensland from hot spot Melbourne.

So far, the family-of-five, including three children under the age of 10, has refused to be tested, despite some family members becoming unwell.

They have been placed into 14-day hotel quarantine.

Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said two of the children went to school on Tuesday and told classmates they had been to Melbourne.

The family is also refusing to assist Queensland health with its inquiries:

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Health Minister Yvette D’Ath is now bracing herself for the worst after Chief Health officer Dr Jeanette Young declared the virus is “going to spread”.

Ms D’Ath said two of the children gave the family up when they started telling fellow pupils at the Australian International Islamic College in Carrara about the family of five’s trip to Melbourne.

The family are now in hotel quarantine, but are refusing to be tested for Covid-19 or reveal where they have been…

“We do have a number of concerning incidents that are evolving,” Ms D’Ath told reporters.

“We have this family, two adults and three young children under the age of 10, who travelled down to Melbourne and returned, we believe.

“Police have informed us that they have information that they’ve returned around three days ago and two of the children went to school and those children told their classmates that they had recently been in Melbourne”…

She said the family was not assisting and there was no way of knowing where they had been to announce venues of concern.

“I have no idea whether any of them (the family) are infected or where they have been in the community and then I’ve got this truck driver who has done all the right things,” she said.

Surely massive fines and/or prosecution should be on the cards for this family, who have shown flagrant disregard for the law and overall deplorable conduct?

About the author
Leith van Onselen is Chief Economist at the MB Fund and MB Super. He is also a co-founder of MacroBusiness. Leith has previously worked at the Australian Treasury, Victorian Treasury and Goldman Sachs.