An infectious diseases nurse treating COVID-19 patients at the Princess Alexandra Hospital Brisbane (pictured) has tested positive to the illness (AAP Image/Robert Shakespeare)
An infectious diseases nurse treating COVID-19 patients in a Brisbane hospital has tested positive to the illness.
The nurse had been working in the infectious diseases unit at the Princess Alexandra Hospital when she began feeling unwell.
She stayed home when symptoms emerged and notified her bosses immediately. The nurse is now resting in isolation.
The hospital is covered by the Metro South Public Health unit, which has told six other staff members who came into contact with the nurse to self-isolate for the required 14 days.
The nurse has symptoms but is doing ok, says Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.
Queenslanders have been warned not to ruin three weeks of work and to stay home during Easter. Beaches and borders are closed, and cruise ships are being ordered to leave Queensland waters. https://t.co/ly4o1sVyAG @AnnastaciaMP #coronavirus #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/dZATTIGMvC
— 7NEWS Brisbane (@7NewsBrisbane) April 7, 2020
"We wish her a speedy recovery but we do know our frontline workers are in the battle field and we do need to give them as much support as possible," Ms Palaszczuk told Nine's Today program on Wednesday.
Queensland has recorded an additional nine cases of the virus overnight, bringing the state's total to 943.
Wednesday, 8 April – coronavirus cases in Queensland:
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) April 7, 2020
• 9 new confirmed cases
• 943 total confirmed cases
• 63,552 tests conducted
Sadly, five Queenslanders have died from coronavirus.#coronavirus pic.twitter.com/VpuT1avMEE
Most of the other cases are patients who have travelled overseas, or have had direct contact with a confirmed case who had travelled overseas.
Ms Palaszczuk said although the infection rate appeared to be lowering, people still need to stay home and follow social distancing regulations.
She said this included people staying home over the upcoming Easter holiday.
"Everybody, just because the trend is coming down, doesn't mean you stop what you're doing," Ms Palaszczuk said.
"We don't want people to take their foot off the accelerator."
Anyone is eligible for coronavirus testing if they have or had a fever, or acute respiratory symptoms, and in the past 14 days had contact with a confirmed case or were overseas.
Testing is also available for people with those symptoms and who work in health care, aged or residential care, the military, correction facilities, detention centres and boarding schools, live in Brisbane, Cairns, the Gold Coast or a First Nations community.
Queensland Health is urging anyone who meets these criteria for testing to contact a doctor immediately and call ahead before visiting a clinic.
Three Gold Coast beaches, at The Spit, Surfers Paradise and Coolangatta, have now been closed to prevent people from crowding into those areas.
© AAP 2020