Two new cases of COVID-19 two weeks on from cluster

Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young has praised West Moreton Health for its handling of recent clusters as two new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed.

“We have seen what West Moreton has stood up and done with the clusters they are managing out there,” Dr Young said.

“The very, very rapid response last night when they got told there was one case in a staff worker in a Laidley aged care home.

“They immediately activated their plan.”

Of the two new cases, one is a man and the other a woman, both aged between 30 and 39.

They are both contacts of known cases and contacts of each other.

Testing of residents and staff at the aged care facility commenced overnight and will continue today.

Dr Young said these results was really good news.

“We are starting to see two weeks in to this cluster that we’ve got control,” she said.

“It’s too early to say we’ve solved it, we still have a long, long way to go but we can see that we are getting a couple of cases each day so that is really good news.

“That is due to the work done by the community, those very strict restrictions that we’ve put back in place, people have adhered to them.”

She also reiterated we must protect our most vulnerable.

“We know the home is the riskiest place so we really can’t have gatherings of more than 10 people because we are seeing through this cluster that were you have a case in a home, the other people are rapidly getting infected,” Dr Young said.

“The second that we can remove those restrictions we will but now is not the time.”

She also asked people to consider their father’s age and health this Father’s Day.

“If you don’t live in that household, delay your hugs for Father’s Day until this is all over because that is the best gift you can give your father,” Dr Young said.

“You don’t want your father COVID-19, so definitely join in groups of up to 10 but if your father is in that older age group or is immunocompromised, keep your distance.”