Travel bubble ‘potentially breached’

The Western Australian health department confirmed the woman, from the Cook Islands, was meant to quarantine at a hotel in New Zealand before travelling to Australia.Her Air New Zealand flight, NZ 175, landed in Perth at 1.30pm on Friday.Air New Zealand said the incident was a potential breach of the trans-Tasman bubble. “We have been made aware of a passenger on board NZ175 Auckland-Perth today who is ineligible for quarantine-free travel to Australia,” the airline said in a statement.“We are working with the relevant authorities on both sides of the Tasman and will follow their guidance.“The next steps for this passenger will be determined by the Western Australia authorities.”The woman has been transported to a Perth quarantine hotel and will undergo a COVID-19 test, remaining in isolation.The Cook Islands has reported no new COVID cases since January 3 and the WA Health Department said it was “very unlikely” the passenger was infected.In a statement the department said it would publicly report the test result.“Remaining passengers on board Flight NZ175 were allowed to disembark and were processed in the usual way,” the statement read.“Use of PPE and cleaning at Perth Airport and on the plane today are standard practise.”It comes after a breach at Brisbane International Airport on Thursday morning when an infected man and a companion unintentionally spent two hours in the green zone before they were escorted to their rightful area.The infected man travelled from Papua New Guinea but was inadvertently allowed to cross into the “green zone” area at Brisbane Airport where passengers were waiting to travel to New Zealand.Almost 400 passengers who flew to New Zealand from Brisbane have potentially been exposed to the virus.Queensland’s Chief health officer Jeannette Young has declared the international terminal a venue of concern.“Anyone who was in the terminal between 9.45am and midday on Thursday, 29 April 2021, should monitor their symptoms and get tested immediately if they feel unwell,” she said.