Target in a Westfield shopping centre is forced to close its doors for urgent cleaning after a staff member is diagnosed with the deadly coronavirus
- Target in the Brisbane suburb of Carindale was shut as a worker tested positive
- Health Department advised there’s no threat to customers or staff
- The store was shut Sunday ‘for cleaning’, expected to reopen on Monday
- Employee had not worked for several days before showing symptoms
- Australian case numbers rise on Sunday night with 61 confirmed in Queensland
- Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?
A Brisbane Target has been shut after a worker tested positive for the deadly coronavirus.
Signs attached to the entrance of the Target in Westfield, Carindale, on Sunday confirmed the temporary closure.
‘Our store is currently closed for cleaning following a confirmed case of covid-19 of one of our team members,’ the sign said.
One sign stuck to the Target entrance in Carindale Westfield in Brisbane’s east on Sunday
The popular bargain shop is expected to open again on Monday. A Target spokesperson said the Health Department advised there was no risk to customers or staff
‘Our priority is to ensure the safety of our customers and team members. We apologise for the inconvenience.’
The store is expected to open tomorrow and Westfield Carindale is otherwise open as normal for trading.
Medical experts say coronavirus is the most contagious when symptoms occur, but it can also be spread beforehand.
The number one symptom of covid-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, is a fever
A Target spokesperson said the store was shut as a precaution but the risk of cross infection was minimal as the team member had not worked for a few days before symptoms appeared.
The spokesperson said Target is working with the Health Department and has been advised there is no risk to staff or customers.
‘As per our policy to ensure the safety of everyone in our stores, we took the extra precaution of closing the store and undertaking an additional deep clean of the store,’ the spokesperson said.
The Carindale Store will reopen tomorrow.
Australia’s coronavirus infections have now risen to 298 with Queensland Health confirming on Sunday night a total of 61 cases in the Sunshine State.
Australia’s coronavirus cases are rising exponentially as governments around the nation try their best to slow the pandemic down
Australia has imposed a raft of measures to try to slow the spread of coronavirus infections including requiring all travellers arriving in Australia to isolate themselves for 14 days of quarantine.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has also said Australia will ban cruise ships from foreign ports for 30 days.
Gatherings of more than 500 people have been banned and sporting events such as football and cricket matches must be held without the crowds of spectators present.
South Australia has declared a public health emergency as cases in that state rose to 20 on Sunday.
Telstra sent 20,000 Australian officeworkers home so they could work in the safety of isolation during the pandemic.
As of Sunday night there were more than 157,000 coronavirus cases worldwide, and more than 5800 dead.
Mainland China had more than 80,800 cases, Italy more than 21,000, Iran more than 12,700, South Korea more than 8100 and Spain more than 6300 according to BNO News which has been tracking the virus in detail since early January.