Backpackers forced into lockdown in Brisbane not told when they'll be let out
More than 60 people locked down in two hotels in Brisbane due to a guest testing positive to COVID-19 have not been told how long they will be required to stay in quarantine.
Queensland Health is working to differentiate between casual and close contacts of a returned traveller who was infectious with the Alpha variant of the virus while staying at Joe's Place Backpackers and Brisbane City Backpackers HQ.
Some backpackers have told 9News they're at a financial loss and want compensation for their time spent in lockdown.
READ MORE: Virus alert for Queensland hostels, airport, hospital and shopping centre
Police are stationed outside both backpacker venues to ensure nobody leaves. Today
Justin Evans said he felt like a "prisoner" forced to stay on the one level of the hotel.
However, the restrictions inside the hotels are more lenient than formal quarantine hotels.
Rachel Painter said guests were allowed to mingle in shared areas.
"We just have to wear a mask every time we go out of our rooms," she said.
Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeanette Young said this morning 62 people linked to the two hotels had been tested and so far, 59 negative tests had been returned.
She commended the hotel manager for being so forthcoming with contact tracers.
"We have worked with the (hotel) manager and we are going to keep those people in the backpacker's hotel," Dr Young said.
"We are not moving them into a quarantine hotel because we are comfortable with some extra support for that hotel, we can manage all of these people there."
The close contact exposure alert in place for both backpacker venues, going from July 20 through to 1am on July 28. Today
The man contracted the virus while travelling back to Australia from the Phillipines via Papua New Guinea and not during his two-week hotel quarantine stay, Health Minister Yvette D'Ath confirmed this morning.
"He is a direct match with three other travellers who he was on two flights with ... those other three travellers were sent to a different hotel quarantine than this individual," Ms D'Ath said.
"Which confirms for us that this gentleman has contracted it from one of the other travellers while in transit."
The man tested negative three times before leaving hotel quarantine.
He then flew to Perth but was barred from entry and spent two days in quarantine there before flying back to Brisbane on Qantas flight QF932 on July 20.
Contact tracers are now tracking down the passengers seated next to him.
Queensland Health Minister Yvette D'Ath said the man has acquired the virus while in transit to Australia. Nine
Dr Young said yesterday that authorities were extremely concerned with the new case and said Queensland's hotel quarantine system was insufficient due to the amount of positive cases being detected in people who complete their mandatory 14 days on return to the country.
She reminded everyone to get tested if they feel unwell and continue wearing masks where required.
Queensland today recorded one new case of COVID-19, a returned international traveller in hotel quarantine.
READ MORE: Six Queenslanders received 'ultra-low dose' of COVID-19 vaccine
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