A man who was accidentally ushered from the quarantine red zone into the green zone at Brisbane Airport has tested positive for COVID-19.
The man and his companion were inadvertently directed into the green zone while transiting through Brisbane after arriving on a flight from Papua New Guinea about 9.45am on Thursday.
The pair were in the same area as another 390 passengers due to depart for New Zealand for just over two hours before the mistake was realised.
They were both tested, with the companion testing negative on Thursday night.
Queensland Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said the man's test was positive and the international terminal was a "venue of concern".
"Anyone who was in the terminal between 9.45am and midday on Thursday, 29 April, 2021, should monitor their symptoms and get tested immediately if they feel unwell," she said in a statement on Friday.
Dr Young said serology testing was under way to see if the positive case was active or historical.
Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young Source: AAP
The infected man was in the same area as passengers due to fly on Air New Zealand NZ202 from Brisbane to Christchurch, Air New Zealand NZ146 from Brisbane to Auckland, and Qantas QF135 from Brisbane to Christchurch.
Dr Young said the risk to Queensland was low as the man was in a departure area, but airport staff who came into contact with him had been placed in quarantine.
The NZ health ministry has also been notified about the man's positive test.
"We are in contact with Queensland Health officials today following this reported breach and will be able to provide updated information as soon as we can," it said on Thursday.
Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) said the breach was due to "human error".
The pair had visited two retail outlets and used the bathrooms in the green zone.
BAC said those areas had been cleaned thoroughly and all green zone staff were wearing personal protective equipment at the time.
Three green flights departed during those two hours, but airport officials said only "a handful" of passengers were in the vicinity of the couple.
"BAC is conducting a thorough investigation and unreservedly apologises for this human error," the operator said on Friday.
Dr Young said BAC had taken prompt action once the mistake was identified and the man had been wearing a mask while he was in the green zone.
She said the incident highlighted the importance of wearing masks at airports.
"Both international and domestic airports are higher-risk environments," Dr Young said.
"We need people to wear masks in terminals at all times. We have kept that direction in place and we need people to comply."
