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Sewage to be tested over 30-year-old's 'coronavirus' death

Scientists will sift through the sewage of a central Queensland town to try and determine the source of a COVID-19 infection that is suspected to have claimed the life of a 30-year-old man.

As Queensland recorded no new COVID-19 cases and only six active cases on Saturday, authorities remain baffled by the Blackwater infection.

Testing the sewage could also reveal how many people in Blackwater may have been exposed or unknowingly have the virus if traces are detected in the waste.

Blackwater man Nathan Turner had shown symptoms for weeks but never went to get tested. He later returned a positive coronavirus test.
Nathan Turner had shown symptoms for weeks but never went to get tested. Source: AAP

Meanwhile, investigators are working to "untangle" the changing story of a nurse at the centre of two coronavirus scares in Queensland to determine if she could be the source.

The unnamed nurse has been suspended after she continued to show up for work at a Rockhampton nursing home despite having symptoms, and while waiting on test results.

Questions are also being asked about a sightseeing road trip she took to Blackwater during the lockdown after local man Nathan Turner died with the virus.

Mr Turner became Australia's youngest coronavirus fatality on Tuesday with authorities no closer to pinpointing how he contracted the virus.

He suffered from chronic illnesses and was later found to have the virus. A coroner will determine what killed him.

Deputy Premier and Health Minister Steven Miles says a formal investigation would get to the bottom of critical questions, such as why the nurse didn't reveal she had travelled to Kuala Lumpur in March.

"It appears to be incredibly unlikely that somebody wasn't asked if they had travelled overseas when that is such a focus of our investigation efforts for all coronavirus cases," he said on Friday.

Mr Miles urged all Queenslanders to be honest, truthful and fulsome if they were contacted by health officials.

"Lives are literally at risk, our public health officials are doing their best to keep Queenslanders safe," he said.

Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said it was fortunate no one at the North Rockhampton Nursing Centre, where the nurse worked, had contracted coronavirus.

Queensland's virus infection total stands at 1058 on Saturday, from 192,062 tests conducted with 1045 patients have recovered.

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