A Brisbane school has been closed after a student at the campus tested positive to COVID-19.
Queensland Health Minister Yvette D'Ath confirmed the positive case was a 17-year-old female student at Indooroopilly State High School, in the city's west. She said the student had attended school for the past two days.
"This case is very new as far as the information we have," Ms D'Ath said.
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"She became unwell yesterday and went and got tested and overnight her result has come back positive.
"We are testing her family members. It's a family of five. She's been in the community for three days and at school for two days, so I understand the school has already notified families and have closed down for a deep clean."
Chief Health Officer, Dr Jeanette Young said the teen came forward for testing after having a headache, but how she caught COVID-19 remains a mystery.
"We'll have to wait until we get whole genome sequencing results back later today to work out from where she's got this," Dr Young said.
More information will be posted on the Queensland Health website when it becomes available later today.
The girl had been in the community for three days, from July 27, and at school for two days.
The exact strain of coronavirus remains unclear until test results come back, the Health Minister said.
Health authorities have used today's new case to once again urge the community to come forward for a COVID-19 vaccination, particularly those aged over 60.
"You are the most at risk group – we know that you're the group that if you get infected you do have a higher risk of getting severe disease and potentially dying," Dr Young said.
"We have plenty of AstraZeneca available in Queensland."
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Dr Young said the new local case is "quite concerning".
"We do know that we have had 13 incursions of the virus into Queensland over the last six weeks and we know that in any particular outbreak, someone with can get infected, not have symptoms and then spread the virus to someone else, which is why it's critically important that we all remain very, very cautious until the vast majority of people have been able to be vaccinated," she said.
"So masks, maintaining social distance, being careful when you're out and about, all of those things are important when we move forward."
The school will remain closed for at least the next 48 hours, Acting Executive Principal Derek Weeks said in an email last night.
"We are continuing to liaise with public health authorities and our own department in relation to the latest developments and will act immediately on their advice should there be an identified need to do so," Mr Weeks wrote in the email.
"The health, safety and welfare of your children, our students, continues to be my number one focus.
"If you, or a member of your family, are feeling unwell or displaying symptoms of COVID-19, please consult your GP.
"I look forward to welcoming our school community back as soon as we are safely able to do so."
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