Brisbanites Who Visited These Venues Are Asked to Get Tested for COVID-19 and Self-Isolate

A new community case of COVID-19 has been identified in Brisbane, with the Queensland Government announcing a list of venues that residents need to note. Today, Friday, March 26, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk revealed that a 26-year-old man from Stafford has tested positive to the coronavirus — and that he has been out in the community while infectious since last Friday, March 19.

If you visited Mamma's Italian Restaurant in Redcliffe between 12.30–3.10pm on Sunday, March 21, you need to quarantine immediately for 14 days and contact Queensland Health for further details. And, even if you get a test for COVID-19 and receive a negative result, you'll still need to remain in isolation for the fortnight.

Next on the list are some big sites — and, if you attended any of them on the dates and around the times outlined, you should get a test for COVID-19 immediately and quarantine until you receive a negative result. This applies regardless of whether you have any coronavirus symptoms or not at present. So, that's the requirement if you were at Carindale Shopping Centre between 12–2.16pm on Saturday, March 20, Market Organics in Newmarket from 2.45–3pm the same day and Baskin Robbins in Everton Park between 9.20–9.25pm that same night. It also applies to visits to Genki Mart, Alderley from 10.30–10.46am on Sunday, March 21, Guzman y Gomez's Stafford drive-thru from 12.20–12.25pm on Monday, March 22, Bunnings in Stafford from 12.40–12.50pm the same day, Aldi Stafford from 8.30–8.45am on Thursday, March 25 and Nundah Respiratory Clinic from 11.15–11.40am also on Thursday.

Also, Gasworks Plaza in Newstead and KFC Everton Park have been named as low-risk sites. If you were at the former from 9.50–10.20am on Sunday, March 21 and the latter's drive-thru from 7.55–8pm on Monday, March 22, you need to monitor for symptoms, get tested if any arise and then isolate until you get a negative result.

In response to the current case, Queensland is changing some of its restrictions. All hospitals, aged care and disability services in the Brisbane City Council area and Moreton are now closed to visitors for the time being. Also, Brisbanites are being requested to wear masks in crowded areas, such as events and on public transport.

Premier Palaszczuk said that the government will be keeping the public updated over weekend, but no other restrictions are changing for now — even though authorities are yet to ascertain how the current patient acquired COVID-19.

"We did just have an outbreak over the last couple of weeks in South Brisbane, so there is a chance it is linked to that one. We won't know until we get the gene sequencing result," said Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young.

The usual advice applies throughout the Brisbane area — including maintaining a 1.5-metre distance from other people, washing your hands thoroughly, and the standard social distancing and hygiene tactics that have been in place for the past year.

If anyone in Brisbane has even the slightest possible COVID-19 symptoms, they're asked to get tested as soon as possible. "Anyone who lives in Brisbane who becomes unwell in the next 14 days, if you are going out and about your normal business, you might be visiting in other parts of the state, it is important that you come forward wherever you are in Queensland and get yourself tested," said the Premier.

Queensland currently has 69 active cases of COVID-19, including the one community case, from a pandemic-wide total of 1437 to-date.

For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Queensland, head to the QLD COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website.