Coronavirus: Queensland women who partied in Victoria charged over false declarations
Queensland Police have charged three women for allegedly providing false information on border declarations when returning home from Victoria.
Olivia Winnie Muranga and Diana Lasu, tested positive after returning from Melbourne without going into quarantine. Both are now in hospital but police said said the pair socialised and went to work after returning from Queensland.
A third unnamed woman, 21, allegedly travelled to Melbourne with the pair but her test hasn’t been returned yet. She is in quarantine and is also understood to have attended the Melbourne party.
All three have been charged under the public health act with one count each of providing false or misleading documents and fraud. They face jail time and fines of up to $13,345.
Police say all three women attended a party while in Melbourne.
“We have identified those [three] and we have identified everyone who was at the party in Victoria with our Victorian colleagues and have high confidence around that,” Queensland’s Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said.
“Our focus now is working with those young women to identify everywhere that they have been since they have come back into Queensland.”
Meanwhile Queensland recorded three new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, two are a couple who went to the Apollo restaurant in Sydney and another is a returned traveller from the US.
Woman accused of ‘not being cooperative’
Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young alleged one of the women “has not been cooperative” and provided authorities with where she’s visited.
“So we have not been able to contact those venues and we will continue to work with that individual and hopefully get information,” Dr Young said.
“That is why I am saying that people should be very cautious if they have got any symptoms at all, doesn't matter where they live, in Brisbane, or indeed anywhere in the state, this is the time to get yourself tested.”
Police believe about 20-30 people were at the party in Melbourne. Dep Comm Gollschewski said Victoria Police were aware of the party at the time and took action due to a “disturbance”.
But he’s unsure what the exact details are.
“They took the appropriate action and through that action by police in Victoria we know who exactly was at the party and can relay the fact there were no other Queenslanders,” he said.
Queensland Premier Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told reporters on Wednesday she’s “absolutely furious” by the news.
The state currently has 11 active cases.
Places the women visited
The two coronavirus-infected women attended several businesses since returning from Victoria, authorities have said.
People who attended those locations at the same time have been urged to self-quarantine and contact 13 HEALTH immediately.
The full list of locations and times:
Parklands Christian College, Park Ridge, 22-23 July 2020 9.30am-6pm
Madtongsan IV Restaurant, Sunnybank, 23 July 2020 7-9pm
Heeretea -Bubble Tea Shop, Sunnybank, 23 July 2020 9.25pm
YMCA Chatswood Hills Outside School Hours Care, Springwood, 23-24 July 2020 All
Primary Medical and Dental Practice, Browns Plains, 24 July 2020 3.30-3.50pm
Thai Peak Restaurant, Springfield, 26 July 2020 6.30-9pm
Cowch Dessert Cocktail Bar, Southbank, 27 July 2020
P’Nut Street Noodles, Southbank, 27 July 2020
African Grocery Shop, Woodridge (Station Rd), 28 July 2020
Primary Medical and Dental Practice, Browns Plains, 28 July 2020 12.25-12.30pm
Chatime Grand Plaza, Browns Plains, 28 July 2020
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