Queensland is in the grips of the most significant Covid-19 outbreak it has faced since the very beginning of the pandemic, after 17 new local cases were recorded on Wednesday.
Authorities have resigned themselves to the fact that they “may never know” how the Brisbane outbreak started, and that it’s possible the missing link might never be discovered.
Of the new cases, 16 are linked to the Brisbane schools cluster, which began last week when an Indooroopilly State High School student tested positive. The 17th case has been confirmed as a fully vaccinated reef pilot in Cairns.
Health authorities say he is not linked to the Brisbane cluster, and most likely acquired the virus while on the job.
Deputy Premier Steven Miles said in less than a week, Queensland had gone from one case to 63 local cases.
“This outbreak means this has become our biggest outbreak since the first wave last year,” he said.
Authorities still don’t know how the cluster began. Genomic sequencing has linked the cases to two travellers who returned from overseas on June 29, but how the school student came to contract the virus remains a mystery.
Chief health officer Jeannette Young said it’s possible the virus “could have been someone who got infected at the airport or in hotel quarantine or in the hospital or in the community”.
“And they could be one of the 20 per cent who don’t get symptoms and just because you don’t get symptoms doesn’t mean you can’t pass it on,” Dr Young said.
“So they could have then passed it on to that family or five or to someone else who passed it on to the family of five.
“So yes, it’s absolutely possible we’ll never find the missing link.”
Of the new cases on Wednesday, four cases are linked to Ironside State School including one teacher, two cases are linked to Indooroopilly State High School, one case to Brisbane Boys Grammar and nine cases are close contacts or family members of previously identified cases.
Two of the new cases were in isolation throughout their entire infectious period.
A record 51,479 tests were carried out on Tuesday, well above the previous record of 35,357.
Mr Miles said it was imperative the testing rates stayed high and that people stayed home if it was not essential.
“We hope that this is just five more days, but every time someone leaves their home they increase the risk that this lockdown may need to go longer,” Mr Miles said.
Qld records 17 new local Covid-19 cases as virus spreads to state’s far north - NEWS.com.au
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