Queensland records two new cases of coronavirus overnight, including another healthcare worker from Ipswich Hospital.
There are now a total of five cases connected to the Ipswich Hospital cluster who have tested positive, including staff and family members of staff.
The other positive case overnight was a woman in her 20s who was a household contact of a known case.Director General of Queensland Health John Wakefield said the Ipswich Hospital worker had been in quarantine when she tested positive."In that way, we knew she was in a place of safety, if you like, in terms of her quarantine, and she was obviously subsequently found to be positive after that test.
He urged any Queenslander who experienced cold and flu symptoms to be tested for COVID-19, and to remain in quarantine until they received a negative test result.More than 200 staff are now in quarantine, but Dr Wakefield said the hospital was still operational.Elective surgery patients will be assessed on a case-by-case basis to see if they can have their procedures done at a private hospital instead.
"It would not be right for the patients of West Moreton to suffer [from] less access to services whilst our other health services are going full-pelt on elective surgery," Dr Wakefield said. Other large health services around Brisbane have also been put on alert and are ready to help maintain hospitals in West Moreton if any more staff test positive.
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