In a rare, good news COVID story, central Queensland has officially dodged an outbreak after more than 300 close contacts of an unknowingly infectious contractor were released from quarantine.
Hundreds of people turned out for testing after a Brisbane woman worked at Rookwood Weir, west of Rockhampton, while infectious with the Delta variant two weeks ago.
It is yet another escape for the region after an infectious man visited Gladstone in March and an infectious nurse worked at an aged care home in May 2020.
CQ Health's director of public health Gulam Khandaker said his team had worked hard to keep COVID-19 out of the region.
"While it appears we've dodged another COVID-19 bullet with no local community transmission again, there's more than luck involved with a great team, and a great community all keen to do the right thing to get a great result."
While it is reason to celebrate, Dr Khandaker urged the community to stay vigilant.
"We are very wary about premature celebration, and we're all highly conscious that a positive COVID-19 case could crop up at any time.
"So it's essential that everybody follows the health advice and continues to stay home when they're sick and get tested."
A number of factors at play
Meru Sheel, an epidemiologist from the Research School of Population Health at the Australian National University, said the absence of community transmission was "great news" for the region.
Dr Sheel put the evasion of an outbreak down to multiple variables including the strain, virus load and public health response.
"It will depend on what type of strain of [COVID-19] they were infected with … what their viral load may have been and what stage of infection they were," she said.
Regardless of the variant, Dr Sheel said the virus spreads most easily in crowded settings, areas with limited ventilation and close contact situations where people mingle.
"In the case of these outbreaks, if somebody has been in that setting, they're either practising the right respiratory and hand hygiene … they may be asymptomatic or they're wearing a mask, or more recently, they're vaccinated," she said.
'Outbreaks start and end in communities'
Dr Sheel said "a certain level of chance" was also involved.
"When a case is detected in a public health context, where it's an aged care facility or somewhere – it really requires a rapid public health response," she said.
"The sooner you act, the more agile and with flexibility you act, that also then highlights how well your public health response is working.
"This is clearly an indication of a good public health response where people have been contact traced rapidly or if there's a need, a short sharp lockdown has been implemented.
Vaccination is key
Chief executive Steve Williamson thanked all staff involved in the response for working diligently to deal with huge spikes in testing demand, contact tracing and pathology services.
"I am so proud to watch Gulam and his team spring into action at any time of the day or night when a positive COVID-19 case has been identified as visiting our region," he said.
"They seem tireless as they devote their energy and expertise to just get on with the job of keeping us safe.
Dr Sheel, Dr Khandaker and Mr Williams urged the community book a vaccination.
"It's a highly transmissible disease and virus and the best way to prevent community transmission is to vaccinate so we can minimise the impact when there is community transmission," Dr Sheel said.
