Flights Added To Exposure Sites After South Australian Teenager Tests Positive To Covid

A Virgin Australia flight has been added to the list of exposure sites in Adelaide after revelations a teenager with Covid was on board. 

Health authorities confirmed the teen was on flight VA219 from Melbourne to Adelaide on October 4 where an infected flight attendant was also on board. 

“Flight VA219 will now be treated as a transmission site and SA Health are ensuring that quarantine arrangements for all passengers reflect this higher level of concern,” SA Health said on Sunday.

Whilst the teen had already been at a Medi-Hotel in Adelaide, other passengers on flights from Melbourne to Sydney, Newcastle and Adelaide were sent into two-week self-isolation once Virgin staff identified the infected crew member. 

Victorian Department of Health deputy secretary Kate Matson confirmed the Virgin infected crew member worked October 4 - 6. 

The flights of concern were:

• October 4: VA219 from Melbourne to Adelaide 10:11am to 11-09am
• October 4: VA218 from Adelaide to Melbourne 11:38am to 1:19pm
• October 5: VA827 from Melbourne to Sydney 09:09am to 10:32am
• October 5: VA808 from Sydney to Melbourne 11:16am to 12:53pm
• October 6: VA1593 from Melbourne to Newcastle 12:56pm to 2:19pm
• October 6: VA1594 Newcastle to Melbourne 3:02pm to 4:38pm

At Victoria’s Saturday Covid media briefing, Ms Matson said the other crew members on those flights are deemed close contacts and will be contacted by the department. 

“Passengers on those flights are being contacted by the relevant jurisdictions and we have been in close contact with both NSW and South Australia and working closely with them to contact the relevant passengers,” she said. 

NSW Health announced they were aware of the flights, ordering passengers into self-isolation.

Anyone on these flights are considered close contacts and must isolate for 14 days regardless of the test results, from the date of their arrival in NSW. 

Join Tom Tilley with regular rotating co-hosts Jan Fran, Annika Smethurst and Jamila Rizvi  on The Briefing, Monday - Saturday, for the day's headlines and breaking news as well as hot topics and interviews.  Available on Listnr.