Aaron Bunch Journalist with Australian Associated Press | Collection of published work | + 61 484 008 119 | abunch@aap.com.au
Qld quarantine investigation after breach
Police will investigate how a 25-year-old Queensland man was able to get past officers and flee mandatory coronavirus quarantine at a Toowoomba hotel.
August 13, 2020
Police will investigate how a Queensland man was able to get past officers and flee mandatory hotel coronavirus quarantine in a rural town.
The 25-year-old surrendered himself on Wednesday after leaving the Toowoomba hotel on day nine of his two-week isolation period a day earlier.
“He’s worked out a way to leave and left,” Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski told reporters when asked about the incident.
The man had earlier tested negative to COVID-19 after returning from a NSW hotspot and was not considered a high risk to the community.
Despite this, police started searching for the man, who was also a resident of the town.
Mr Gollschewski said it was the first time a person had fled a Queensland Police Service-managed quarantine hotel while isolating.
“We are very concerned about that, so there is an independent investigation being done and a review of what has occurred,” he said.
The man will also be retested for the virus “to make sure he remains COVID negative and give assurance to the community that whilst he was out there was no spread”.
He has been charged with attempting to enter Queensland unlawfully and will appear in Goondiwindi Magistrates Court in September.