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Dozens of returned travellers have been ordered to stay in hotel quarantine in Brisbane for an additional five days after two people tested positive to a new Russian variant of COVID-19.
Queensland Health said two passengers on Qatar Airways flight QR898, which arrived from Doha into Brisbane on February 17 with 74 people on board, had tested positive to COVID-19 late into their 14-day hotel quarantine period.
Further testing has revealed the travellers have variant B. 1.1.317.
While Queensland Health does not consider this a variant of concern, little is known about the new strain.
All passengers and crew members were due to be released on Wednesday, but will need to remain in hotel quarantine until March 8 and undertake additional testing.
A Queensland Health spokesperson said they apologised to the 74 travellers who have been inconvenienced, but “these measures are necessary to protect Queenslanders.”
“This new variant has meant we’ve had to extend the mandatory 14-day quarantine period for another five days and organise additional testing for 74 travellers who may have been exposed to this new variant,” the spokesperson said.
“As of March 2, the B. 1.1.317 variant has been confirmed in two overseas arrivals on flight QR898. Genomic testing is underway for a third traveller who tested positive to COVID-19 and was linked to this flight and remains in quarantine.
“Flight QR898 continued into New Zealand … We are liaising with New Zealand authorities regarding a fourth person linked to this flight that has since tested positive.”
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