First Australian case of more virulent COVID-19 strain found in Queensland brisbanetimes.com.au - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from brisbanetimes.com.au Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Queensland has detected a case of the new South African variant of coronavirus in a returned traveller - the first time the new strain has been identified in Australia.
The strain is thought to be a more contagious variant of coronavirus and has been described by the state s Chief Health Officer, Jeannette Young, as very concerning (file image).
Photo: AFP
Health authorities said genome testing confirmed the woman was carrying the new variant, after she tested positive for Covid-19 while in hotel quarantine in Brisbane.
The strain is thought to be a more contagious variant of coronavirus and has been described by the state s Chief Health Officer, Jeannette Young, as very concerning .
Tests have confirmed a traveller who tested positive for COVID-19 in hotel quarantine in Queensland is infected with a new variant of the virus.
The woman, who travelled from South Africa, has been transferred to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital for treatment.
Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said genome sequencing revealed the woman, who arrived in Brisbane on 22 December, was infected with a new variant of COVID-19 believed to have originated in South Africa. This is different to the variant recently detected in the United Kingdom.
More contagious than the common COVID-19
‘This new variant is a concern as it is believed to be more contagious than the common variant of COVID-19 identified in Australia,’ said Dr Young.
Coronavirus Australia: Qld hotel quarantine finds South Africa strain news.com.au - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from news.com.au Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.