Australia: Virus found in traveler after quarantine

ANKARA (AA) – A woman traveler in Australia's Victoria state tested positive for the novel coronavirus after serving the mandatory 14-day hotel quarantine, the state health department said on Tuesday.

"The individual tested negative a number of times during her quarantine period and departed the facility on Feb. 7," the Victorian Health Department said on Twitter.

She sought testing in response to the current outbreak at the Holiday Inn Melbourne Airport, returning a positive result on Tuesday, it added.

Health authorities said they are tracing out other close contacts of the woman, including those who completed their quarantine period on Feb. 7.

"They will be required to isolate for 14 days. We are in contact with this group. This will come as difficult news to them, but we are as cautious as possible in our response to this outbreak," the department further said.

According to the Health Ministry data, Australia has so far recorded 28,857 coronavirus cases with 909 deaths since the outbreak in the country.

Victoria, the second-most populous state, is the worst-hit state in the country, with 20,456 virus cases, including 820 deaths.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid