No new local cases in Queensland

Queensland has recorded no new local cases of COVID-19 today after 14,000 tests in the last 24 hours.

One new case was diagnosed in hotel quarantine.

That patient is an Australian returned from Pakistan who caught caught the virus overseas.

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Queensland's Health Minister Yevette D'Ath described the results as "wonderful".

One new case was announced yesterday however the case tested positive while in quarantine and was not infectious while out in the community therefore posing "no risk" to the community.

Deputy Chief Health Officer Dr Sonya Bennett said she was "confident that most of the people at risk have been tested." in the city.

The zero cases come as around 400 front line health workers and their families are spending Easter weekend in isolation after two historical cases of COVID-19 sparked concern of an outbreak at a Brisbane hospital.

Staff from the Brisbane's Princess Alexandra Hospital and their close contacts have been told to isolate immediately and wait for test results after health authorities expressed concern about a specific room at the hospital.

Anyone who worked in Ward 5D - the hospital's infectious diseases ward - between March 9 and March 28 have been told to immediately self-isolate while they await test results.

READ MORE: Woman in quarantine escaped from Brisbane hospital in the middle of the night

Their families and housemates have also been told to get tested immediately.

The warning comes after two nurses were found to have contracted the virus while working in the ward with infected COVID-19 patients.

Genomic sequencing confirmed both nurses had contracted the virus from a patient returned from India - however neither of the two cases came into direct contact with the patient prompting concern over how the virus was transmitted.

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Ms D'Ath said investigations were continuing into how the transmission occured however it was not related to any breach of PPE standards at the hospital.

"We know it happened under very unusual cirucmsuantcnes," she said.

The investigation will include inquiries into possible trasnimisison through ventilation systems, Ms D'Ath said.

Chief Health Officer, Dr Jeanette Young, said that the two COVID-19 patients who infected hospital staff both stayed in the same room within Ward 5D of the hospital, one after the other.

READ MORE: One new local COVID-19 case in Queensland linked to known cases

"We think there could be a problem with that particular room or the environment around that room," Dr Young said.

No new coronavirus cases are being admitted to the PA Hospital while that investigation takes place.

Testing of hospital staff has also been increased, with all frontline staff working directly with COVID-19 patients to be tested at the start of every shift, in the same way as those working at quarantine hotels.

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No new local cases in Queensland
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