Queensland Health is to expand its testing for COVID-19 to include people in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Cairns with unexplained symptoms.
Minister for Health and Ambulance Services, Steven Miles said more than 58,000 people had already been tested and testing would now be stepped up in the three major centres.
“Our hospitals in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Cairns have the capacity to do more tests but only for people who have respiratory symptoms — cough, sore throat or fever,” Mr Miles said.
“If people in Brisbane, the Gold Coast or Cairns present to a GP clinic or fever clinic with acute respiratory symptoms or pneumonia, and the cause cannot be determined, they will be tested for COVID-19.”
Chief Health Officer, Jeannette Young (pictured) said she had ordered increased testing in the three cities to head off the risk of sustained community transmission.
“The rate of COVID-19 is continuing to slow in Queensland but the threat remains,” Dr Young said.
“We know how the vast majority of patients became infected however, there are some people for whom the source of infection is unknown,” she said.
“This is a small number, but it is enough to warrant increased testing.”
She said that for the rest of Queensland, testing would continue for people who had symptoms after returning overseas in the past 14 days (including from cruise ships); who have been in contact with a confirmed case; or were health care workers with acute respiratory symptoms.
