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Coronavirus crisis: Queensland man becomes Australia’s youngest COVID-19 victim

Robyn WuthAAP
VideoYoungest man to die from COVID-19 in Australia

A 30-year-old Queensland man found dead by his partner in their home is Australia’s latest and youngest coronavirus fatality.

The man had a complicated medical history, had not worked since November and was not tested while alive because of the seriousness of his underlying condition.

Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said he was showing symptoms for several weeks and tested positive to the virus after his death.

His partner found him unresponsive after she returned to their Blackwater home from work on Tuesday afternoon.

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The coroner will investigate whether the virus or the man’s other known illnesses caused his death.

The case is the first recorded in Blackwater, near Emerald in central Queensland, and residents with symptoms are being urged to get tested immediately.

“It appears that this just gentleman who has passed away was ill for some time and did not get tested,” Health Minister Steven Miles said on Wednesday.

As well as not working for six months, he had not left Blackwater since February, raising the question of how he became infected.

The man’s partner is now sick and has been taken to Rockhampton Hospital. The police and ambulance officers who attended the scene are also now in quarantine.

The case is not the first in Central Queensland however, with an aged care nurse testing positive in Rockhampton earlier this month.

The nurse who continued working while showing symptoms has been suspended and is under investigation.

Health authorities continue to track her movements to determine if she could be the source of the Blackwater case.

A team of public health experts and additional contact tracing resources have been deployed from Brisbane to Blackwater to track the possible source of the virus, with testing available at Blackwater Hospital from Wednesday.

A fever clinic also will be established at the Blackwater Rodeo Grounds from 8am on Thursday.

“I have four planes on the ground, two in Townsville and two in Brisbane that we can use to go and get anyone who’s a confirmed case and move them to Rockhampton or to Brisbane,” Dr Young added.

A total of 103 people have died from the coronavirus in Australia, with the latest victim becoming Queensland’s seventh fatality.

Two Queensland residents who died in NSW have been included in both state’s counts.

“It’s a timely reminder for all Queenslanders that this COVID is real, it’s out there, and it has impacts on Queenslanders and in this case, we have lost another Queenslander today,” Health Minister Steven Miles said on Wednesday.

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