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Authorities are warning that the number of close contacts from two positive COVID-19 cases in Cairns will rise.
Genome sequencing has found a taxi driver in his 60s and a marine pilot in his 30s both have the same Delta infection.
Health officials believe the unvaccinated taxi driver caught it from the fully vaccinated marine pilot when he drove the pilot to Cairns Airport on 26 July.
Already ‘in the hundreds’, their close contacts include people on a flight from Brisbane to Cairns, staff and shoppers at Woolworths Raintrees, employees and patrons of Brothers Leagues Club and families with children at Bluewater Village Early Learning in Trinity Beach.
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The reef pilot’s flight from Cairns to Brisbane has not yet been added to the exposure sites list.
Tropic Now has so far been unable to confirm what the flight number is.
A Queensland Health spokesperson said it may not be added to the list if all of those onboard can be contacted.
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“The testing clinics are prioritising the close contacts.”
TESTING CLINICS CAN BE FOUND HERE
A container ship the reef pilot had boarded before he tested positive has now been found to have COVID-19 cases onboard, with 11 of the 21 crew infected.
The New Zealand Government reports all are well, with no symptoms.
Further testing is being carried out to find out whether any of the cases are historical.
Because the marine pilot's infection is not linked to the Brisbane cluster, the theory is that he caught if from one of two ships.
The other ship is in Botany Bay.
Queensland Health has also reported that the taxi driver’s family members are feeling unwell and have been tested.
Grant Howard, the Acting Executive Director of Medical Services at CHHHS, today revealed the driver’s partner has had her first vaccination.
He’s urging more people to come forward for the jab, concerned the rate of 700 per day isn’t high enough.
“We’d like to get that higher to 5,000 a week,” he said.
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“We have a special offer, free AstraZeneca at the JCU Smithfield site.”
The James Cook University and South Cairns Health Facility clinics also have Pfizer jabs, while GPs and pharmacists are also administering AstraZeneca vaccinations.
Meanwhile, police say the community is complying with lockdown orders.
Acting District Disaster Coordinator for the Far North, Chris Hodgman, said officers have handed out just five masks since the new rules came into effect at 4pm yesterday.
“So far the compliance has been fantastic,” he said.
“Overnight to early this morning we had intercepted 117 vehicles and we had spoken to 168 people around compliance.
“If you do have to go out please take your identification.
“You may have a police officer ask you why you are out and about, what is your essential purpose for leaving home.”
Business compliance was also deemed to be good.
Police say there have also been no major issues at testing clinics, after health staff copped abuse last week.
Main points
- The marine pilot's flight to Brisbane is still not listed among exposure sites
- Crew members of a container ship the marine pilot boarded have now tested positive
- Health authorities have revealed the taxi driver's partner has received her first vaccination dose
