Queensland and Victorian police are investigating after a man allegedly infected with coronavirus tried to enter Queensland illegally from Victoria.

September 1, 2020

A criminal investigation is underway after a COVID-19 infected man from Victoria allegedly tried to enter Queensland illegally.

The 48-year-old allegedly flew from Melbourne’s Tullamarine airport to Brisbane aboard a Jetstar flight on Monday morning.

He is now under police guard in quarantine, Queensland Police Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski says.

The other 84 people on board the flight have also been placed in isolation.

“This male person is well known to us,” Mr Gollschewski told reporters on Tuesday.

The infected man is accused of lying on his Queensland border declaration pass and breaching quarantine in Victoria.

Queensland and Victorian police were also investigating other serious offences, Mr Gollschewski said.

No charges have been laid.

Earlier, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said Victorian authorities had been trying to find the man after he tested positive for the virus a few weeks ago.

“This is great work from the police that have been able to apprehend this man, who was trying to get into Queensland illegally,” she said.

“This goes to show how strong our border measures are and the fact that they are working.”

Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said his department had no information about the man and there was no watch list for airlines to check if passengers had tested positive for COVID-19.

“It’s incumbent on the individual to do the right thing. If there’s any information we need to share between jurisdictions, we do that simultaneously,” he said.