Vaccinated NSW quarantine worker who tested positive to coronavirus was infectious during overnight shift

A Sydney hotel quarantine security worker who has tested positive to COVID-19 was infectious during his shift on Friday night, causing 130 workers to immediately self-isolate, NSW Health said on Sunday.

NSW announced its first locally acquired case of COVID-19 in 56 days on Sunday after a 47-year-old security worker tested positive on Saturday night during routine testing despite having no symptoms.

The man’s four family members have so far tested negative to the virus.

The source of the new infection, which will be included in Monday’s numbers, is under investigation and urgent genome sequencing and testing of close contacts are underway, NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard and NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant told the media on Sunday.

The person, who works at Sydney’s Sofitel Sydney Wentworth and Mantra Sydney Central hotels at the weekend and at an office during the week, received his first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination on March 2, with his next second dose due “in the next week or so,” Mr Hazzard said.

Dr Chant said his immune response was not expected to kick in until at least 12 to 14 days after the jab, which means the man was considered infectious during his shift at the Sydney Wentworth hotel on Friday night.

Authorities have asked 130 people who worked at the hotel from 7pm on Friday night to 7am on Saturday to immediately self-isolate and get tested.

“We are asking those individuals to immediately self-isolate and get a test, and basically, that allows us time to work through and ascertain the nature of interaction that this security guard would have had to those quarantine workers,” Dr Chant said.

Hotel quarantine staff working multiple jobs was identified as a risk factor in Melbourne’s deadly second wave. Hotel quarantine workers are now banned from holding a second job in Victoria, but there is no such restriction in NSW.

NSW Health has also issued alerts on a few Sydney venues visited by the hotel worker. The venues in Hurstville, Beverly Hills and Haymarket cover the dates from 8 March until 13 March.

Anyone who visited Angelo Anestis Aquatic Centre in Bexley on Saturday 13 March from 9-9.30am or Pancakes on the Rocks at Beverly Hills on 13 March between 10.45am and 12 noon is being asked to monitor for symptoms.

Anyone who travelled on a train from Hurstville to the city arriving at 6.30am on Friday March 12 and the city to Hurstville leaving at 7am is being asked to do the same.

People linked to the venues were being contacted, Dr Chant said, but she added the venues were considered “low-risk” at this stage.

More venues linked to the positive case were likely to be identified, she said.

Dr Chant said the hotel quarantine system was “always going to be associated with risks of transmission”, particularly as new variants of the virus emerged.

“We are noticing that we have got increases in various variants’ different levels of transmissibility. And we look at transmission events and how we can further reinforce the system,” she said.

“This virus is infectious and can be transmitted in this setting. We do everything we can to minimise that risk, but just be reassured we are committed to finding out exactly how this transmission occurred.”

There were 9,269 tests reported to 8pm last night in NSW, compared with the previous day’s total of 9,994.

Three new cases were also acquired overseas, bringing the total number of cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic to 5,048.

NSW Health is also asking anyone who has arrived in NSW from Queensland after 11 March to check the Queensland Health website for public health advice after a doctor at Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital returned a positive test on Friday.

Several venues of concern in Brisbane are listed on the website and anyone who has attended these venues during the relevant times is being urged to immediately self-isolate and call NSW Health on 1800 943 553.

Anyone who has entered NSW from Greater Brisbane since Thursday 11 March 2021 and who has not attended any of the venues of concern is being urged to monitor for symptoms and get tested immediately if even the mildest of symptoms occur.

Greater Brisbane is defined as Brisbane, Ipswich, Logan, Moreton Bay and Redland.

In addition, anyone who has been in Greater Brisbane since Thursday 11 March should avoid non-essential visits to hospitals and residential aged care facilities until further notice, NSW Health said.

NSW Health is currently treating 51 COVID-19 cases, none of whom are in intensive care.

People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Check your jurisdiction’s restrictions on gathering limits. If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, stay home and arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.

SBS