Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[lovetravellingoz]

Hmm, my information is more than one person in Sydney. One of my family member works in one of the venues shut down and their positive person who visited them is female.

His wife has tested positive.


Wife has high CT value and so is in very early phase. ie Very new case.



Original genomic link found. So far no direct link for these two cases to the new Index Case..

 

[Lynda2475]

Detective work via genomic testing has linked case to an overseas case from the USA on 26th April who was in HQ at Park Royal at Darling Harbour.and was moved to a health hotel on 28th April.

They still need to find the link between HQ and the 50yo man so are looking at all the places the man visited since 26th to find that person (who will likely be a asymptomatic vaccinated HQ / Transport / medical worker).

From ABC Blog: Dr Chant said they were reviewing CCTV footage to look into how transmission occurred from the traveller.

Dr Chant also said although its an Indian variant, it isnt one the current variant of concerns.

From ABC Blog:

Gladys states "What we're doing is a very precautionary response in the next three days. It's actually very proportionate. Unlike other premiers, we're not shutting down the city. We're not changing the two square metre rule. Quite the contrary. We're saying to everybody business as usual but just do a few things extra to make sure that until we identify those cases."

"If this was WA or Queensland, they would have shut down the whole city.

"They would have said stay at home, they would have said don't go about your business, we're saying the opposite, we're saying go about your normal business.

"The main bit of care is in relation to mask wearing and how many people you welcome to your home."

 

[OATEK]

Do you have a link? Or just extracts of the relevant parts?

Thank you.

In the interest of transparency I am sure the Vic Government will release them.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Virus has been indicated to have been an Indian Strain.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

So transmission chain has only been out for say a week, and so the well known containment measures should soon chop if off even if the missing link/s is never found..

Luck will play a large part if few or many have so far been involved.

 

[Lynda2475]

The link will be a HQ /Transport / Medical worker linked to the passenger who arrived on the 26th, these are largely fully vaccinated already but can still spread the virus, however as they are tested each shift they work if still infectious or shedding they will be picked up next time they work even if they don't come forward in the mean time.

Now we wait to see what the overreaction is from other states and NZ.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

If the link is a quarantine worker or similar, aren’t they getting shift tested? So even if asymptomatic, it should have been picked up by now one would think

 

[SydneySwan]

Now we wait to see what the overreaction is from other states and NZ.

One state's 'overreaction' is viewed as 'proportionate' in other states.

 

[Lynda2475]

it should have been picked up by now one would think

Well only if they have worked a shift since being infected.

The man has been infectious since 30th, so the window they need to look at is 26 - 30th April. Its possible the worker infected only generated enough viral load to test positive since their last shift, so should be picked up on their next shift if still infectious then.

 

[jakeseven7]

If the link is a quarantine worker or similar, aren’t they getting shift tested? So even if asymptomatic, it should have been picked up by now one would think

Testing isn't 100% accurate....

 

[Lynda2475]

One state's 'overreaction' is viewed as 'proportionate' in other states.

Federal definition of a hotspot has not been met, any border closure to anyone except those who have attended an exposure venue or are deemed a close household contact of a positive is by definition an over reaction.

There is nothing proportionate about restricting the movements of a whole city or state for 2 cases. Masks are proportionate, lockdowns and lockouts are not.

 

[Lynda2475]

One extra restriction just announced:

Visitors to aged care facilities in the Greater Sydney area will be limited to two people from 5:00pm until Monday.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Testing isn't 100% accurate....

That is true, but if daily testing is being done then a positive result should have been returned by now one would expect eve if one test was not accurate. So if not, why not?

Though some other transmission path may have occurred. ie Remember the recent NZ case from cleaning the plane.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

One state's 'overreaction' is viewed as 'proportionate' in other states.

So far the control measures in Qld and Vic seems to be quite reasonable responses focussed primarily on the exposure sites, and moreso as NSW are currently indicating that they believe that there are other unknown cases.

 

[Lynda2475]

but if daily testing is being done then a positive result should have been returned by now

They only test on the days they work, so entirely possible the person has not worked again since the shift they were infected.

COVID-19 (Coronavirus) - NSW quarantine worker surveillance and testing program

www.health.nsw.gov.au

Where they do not work a shift for 3 days they are then asked to get a nasal swab on 4th day.

Fact sheets - Surveillance testing for quarantine workers who are away from work for more than 3 days

www.health.nsw.gov.au

So if the person last worked on 30th (tested negative at start of shift) and has not worked again since, the nasal swab would have been done on 4th (provided they complied) and the results available today at latest (24-48 hours for test results unless an rush is put on by CHO due to being identified as a close contact).

I do wonder if being fully vaccinated means lower viral loads so harder to detect on saliva test?

 

[moa999]

Measured NSW response.


Despite the strongly advise against large groups, seemingly no limitation on any sporting events or theatres.

 

[bcworld]

NZ has suspended the bubble with NSW...for 48 hrs initially.

Sydney cases: Quarantine-free travel from New South Wales on hold

The latest community outbreak in Sydney is putting transtasman travel with NSW on hold.

www.nzherald.co.nz

 

[oz_mark]

Queensland Health update regarding NSW cases | Queensland Health

Anyone in Queensland who has been to a declared COVID-19 exposure site in New South Wales during the risk period specified is automatically required to quarantine.

www.health.qld.gov.au

Anyone in Queensland who has been to a declared COVID-19 exposure site in New South Wales during the risk period specified is automatically required to quarantine.

NSW Health has released a list of exposure sites dating back to 27 April 2021 related to two new locally acquired cases. This list is steadily being updated as more information becomes available.

Anyone arriving in Queensland from 1am tomorrow (Friday, 7 May 2021) who has been to any of these exposure sites in New South Wales during the risk period identified will be required to undertake mandatory hotel quarantine for 14 days on entering Queensland. This is in accordance with the Interstate Exposure Venues Direction.

 

[nutwood]

Queensland Health update regarding NSW cases | Queensland Health

Anyone in Queensland who has been to a declared COVID-19 exposure site in New South Wales during the risk period specified is automatically required to quarantine.

www.health.qld.gov.au

My problem with this approach is that it provides excellent incentive for people to dissimulate. Realistically, we're all meant to be in this together but if being honest about where you have been can suddenly result in 14 days hotel quarantine, there's not a lot of incentive. Test and isolate is reasonable. Anything more will backfire.

 

[SydneySwan]

This is from the SMH - Marise Payne strongly suggests India flights to Australia will resume after fierce backlash

Senator Payne, who was the second minister to be fully vaccinated and is just one of just 2.4 million Australians to have been jabbed and flew to Europe on the taxpayer-funded VIP plane, has applied to bypass the $3000 hotel quarantine required of ordinary Australians entering the country.

“It is not possible for me to do my job in a public hotel and on that basis I have sought to make an application and it will be a matter for the NSW government,” she said.

My bolding. Most of us can say the same thing. Why doesn't she conform and set an example? She is coming from a high-risk environment with some of the Indian delegation already testing positive.