New cluster declared as UK virus strain spreads
<p>Queensland health authorities are pleading with residents who visited a wide-ranging list of venues to come forward for testing as a cluster of the UK variant of coronavirus is declared.</p>
<p>Hotel Grand Chancellor, which has been used to house international arrivals was marked as a hotspot for the first time on Wednesday, as experts linked all six cases to the building.</p>
<p>Dr Jeanette Young, Queensland Health's chief health officer has announced that anyone who has been at that hotel since December 30 must get tested immediately.</p>
<p>She revealed the hotel will no longer be quarantining international arrivals and all 129 quarantined-occupants are being taken to another hotel as a precautionary measure.</p>
<p>“The safest thing to do, is to move all the guests out of the hotel to other hotels, immediately,” Dr Young said.</p>
<p>“That has now started. So all those 129 remaining people in that hotel will move. they will get tested.</p>
<p>“So far it‘s floor seven … and that’s where it has spread.</p>
<p>“We can’t work out exactly what happened and we are struggling to see how it got out.</p>
<p>“Police are leading the investigation.”</p>
<p><strong>Venues:</strong></p>
<p><em>Anyone who has been at the following venues at the following times and dates, must get tested even if they are not showing symptoms.</em></p>
<ul class="ul1">
<li class="li1"><strong>Hotel Grand Chancellor</strong>, Brisbane City: Any time since December 30</li>
<li class="li1"><strong>Woolworths</strong><span> </span>Calamvale North: January 3, 11am-noon</li>
<li class="li1"><strong>Bunnings Warehouse</strong>, Acacia Ridge: January 5, 2pm-2.40pm</li>
<li class="li1"><strong>Nextra Newsagent</strong>, Sunnybank Hills: January 5, 8am-8.15am</li>
<li class="li1"><strong>Coles</strong><span> </span>Sunnybank Hills Shoppingtown: January 5, 7.30am-8am</li>
<li class="li1"><strong>Sunnybank Cellars<span> </span></strong>(formerly Lucky Star Bottler), Sunnybank: January 6, 2.05pm-2.15pm</li>
</ul>
<p>Currently, six people have been diagnosed with the UK strain of coronavirus at Hotel Grand Chancellor, including a cleaner who passed the virus onto her partner.</p>
<p>Western Australia is also enforcing strict rules to combat the virus, with the state now making masks mandatory in all of its domestic airports.</p>
<p>Those who fail to adhere to the new rule will face an enormous fine of $50,000.</p>
<p>Premier Mark McGowan made the announcement yesterday, which applies to everyone over the age of 12.</p>
<p>Travellers are permitted to take off their masks while seated, to eat, drink and take medication.</p>
