NRL at risk over new Covid breach

Vision of Wests Tigers player James Roberts standing on his Gold Coast balcony surfaced on Tuesday, resulting in the NRL informing Queensland Health about the bubble breach, said to have been triggered by mental health issues.Last week, after multiple contraventions, Queensland chief health offer Jeannette Young warned the NRL they could have their exemptions rescinded if breaches continued. “I’m getting very close to it (revoking exemptions),” Dr Young said on Friday. “If they have any more breaches, I am very concerned.“This is too risky. We just cannot have people deliberately breaching the rules.”The doors and windows of the NRL contingency were gaffer taped in order to prevent further breaches.Speaking on Wednesday, Dr Young said she had been made aware of Roberts’ breach, and had written to the NRL seeking more information. “I’d like to wait to see the response from the NRL before I make any decisions,” she said. She would not make any further comment on the situation. It comes as Queensland recorded one new locally acquired Covid-19 case on Wednesday, a returned traveller who tested positive 10 days after he left hotel quarantine. He was infectious in the community for four days.The new case left hotel quarantine on July 17 after returning from the Philippines and tested positive on Tuesday. He had been staying at a backpackers hostel on Roma Street before becoming infectious on July 22. Nineteen other cases were recorded on Wednesday, all on board a cargo ship.There are two other major virus concerns plaguing the Sunshine State: a vaccinated Gold Coast man who returned from China and tested positive almost two weeks after he left hotel quarantine; and a Qantas flight attendant who brought a Sydney man into the state despite him being a close contact of a NSW case. Police fined the man almost $10,000 and his female accomplice $4000 late on Tuesday.