A traveller, who unwittingly entered a common area of the Brisbane International Airport yesterday after arriving on a flight from Papua New Guinea, has tested positive to coronavirus.
The man and his travel partner had been in transit on a flight from Port Moresby, a coronavirus hotspot, and were accidentally allowed into the "green zone" at the departures terminal on Thursday morning.
For one and a half hours the pair shopped and used public toilets before being retrieved.
They were wearing masks and were social distancing.
Nearly 400 travellers awaiting three different flights to New Zealand were in the departures terminal at the time.
The man's test was inconclusive yesterday, but more samples were sent to Queensland Health's Forensic and Scientific Services laboratory and Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said he returned "a clear positive result" today.
"That suggests to me, as well with the serology results, that he's right at the end of his illness — he could almost be fully recovered," she said.
"We know that the risk is always in that 48 hours before someone develops symptoms, at the start of their illness. He's right at the end and he's well.
"The risks are all adding up to be less and less and less."
The man's travel partner has returned a negative test.
Dr Young has declared the international terminal a venue of concern.
Anyone who visited between 9:45am and midday on Thursday should monitor their symptoms and get tested immediately if they feel unwell.
Dr Young said CCTV footage showed the two spent most of their time in Hudson Café, had minimal interaction with other people and wore masks appropriately.
The footage also showed that the table was cleaned once the pair left the cafe.
Dr Young said while the risk of Queenslanders being infected was low, she was taking precautions.
"Staff who came into contact with this case have been placed into quarantine," she said.
Nearly 400 travellers put at risk
During the period the infected traveller was in the green zone, three flights to New Zealand departed, taking approximately 390 passengers.
The flights affected are Air New Zealand NZ202 from Brisbane to Christchurch, Air New Zealand NZ146 from Brisbane to Auckland, and Qantas QF135 from Brisbane to Christchurch.
Queensland authorities have advised the NZ Ministry of Health of the latest results and they are taking their own protection measures.
The pair were in transit and due to board a Qatar airlines flight later in the day after arriving on an Air Niugini flight.
Currently all overseas arrivals except for those from New Zealand must stay in "red zone" areas of the airport.
Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) spokesman Jim Parashos said the airport's CCTV footage had enabled it and Queensland Health to evaluate the situation quickly.
"The determination was that it was relatively low risk based on the CCTV footage, social distancing, [and] of course masks are mandatory on aircraft and in the terminal, so that was the advice from Queensland Health," Mr Parashos said.
"In terms of entering the stores, they've also been cleaned — they were walking through the stores, so relatively low contact and so forth and the bathrooms have also been cleaned."
Whispers on plane raises alarm
Brisbane woman Karryn Wheelans knew nothing of the airport breach until she and her husband landed in Christchurch.
"I knew something was going down and the air bridge wasn't coming out.
"Then finally we were told that a PNG flight had some passengers that had breached the transit lounge and they were assessing the risk of us, before we could disembark."
At that stage, there was no suggestion that either of the PNG travellers had tested positive to COVID-19.
Ms Wheelans said passengers spent around 45 minutes on the tarmac before they got the all clear.
"We were at the mercy of the health ministry in New Zealand and I just wonder what would have happened if the flights were in reverse," she said.
"If we have to go and get a test, obviously we'll go and do that. We don't want to expose anyone here potentially to COVID and we want the [travel] bubble to remain open."
Ms Wheelans and her husband, who are staying with family in Christchurch, are due to return home on an Air New Zealand flight on Monday.
Queensland Health revises exposure venues direction
Meanwhile, Queensland Health has announced changes to its direction for anyone deemed to have been at an interstate exposure venue.
In a statement, Dr Young said anyone entering Queensland after having been to an interstate exposure venue after it has been declared must quarantine for 14 days in government-arranged accommodation.
If the venue is declared an exposure site after the traveller arrives in Queensland, they must report to authorities by calling 13 HEALTH and await further advice from Queensland Health.
