UPDATE August 5: Police have now finalised an investigation into the Kabul-to-Toowoomba incident.
Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said the man had done “everything they should have done”.
“NSW Health approached Queensland and we said, ‘yes, it did meet that exemption’, so we would allow that person to travel as per the exemption,” Dr Young said.
“The only concern I had is that when we agreed all these exemptions, we said when people went on to a domestic plane that the planes would seat them with no one else around them.
“That unfortunately didn’t occur because the plane was packed.”
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Earlier:
August 4, 2020
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has confirmed the man currently in home quarantine in Toowoomba was not a consular official.
He is believed to have been employed by a private security firm at the Australian Embassy in Kabul.
The man, who has tested positive to the COVID-19 virus, arrived in Sydney from Afghanistan then flew to the Sunshine Coast before driving to Toowoomba on Friday.
“There is a loophole here that needs to be closed,” Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told reporters on Tuesday.
“I will be raising this at National Cabinet.”
The man was exempted from mandatory hotel quarantine in Queensland after producing two documents – one on a DFAT letterhead and one believed to have been issued by NSW authorities.
“I have now asked that these documents be forwarded to the Police Commissioner to investigate,” Mrs Palaszczuk said.
“Our understanding is that a letter was provided on a DFAT letterhead and there was an exemption that was also granted.
“This will be fully investigated but there is still a loophole that needs to be fixed.”
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Queensland Health issued a statement on Tuesday morning:
The man was provided an exemption to travel to Queensland under arrangements agreed nationally in June.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade wrote to confirm the man was “travelling on essential Australian Government business”.
He confirmed he held a diplomatic passport and provided his passport number.
Irrespective of this person’s circumstances, we are concerned with the number of overall exemptions and the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) is reviewing criteria and will provide advice to National Cabinet.
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This Toowoomba case is being managed by the Public Health Unit, and no additional risk to the community has been identified.
A Queensland Health spokesperson said contact tracing was being undertaken for all confirmed individuals to find out who the person might have had close contact with while infectious.
“Queensland Health will issue a public health alert if there is any risk to the community,” the spokesperson said.
“The only public health alert associated with this case is for Jetstar flight JQ790.”
- Related article: New Case In Toowoomba
