Priests and staff of St George Greek Orthodox Church and the community centre in Brisbane have gone into isolation after four cases of COVID-19 in the city were linked to the church and the community centre in the past week.

Last week a mother and her child who had visited the church’s community centre tested positive for the A-variant of the virus. Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Jeanette Young revealed that the Brisbane’s Greek Community Centre was one of the sites that was visited by a mother and daughter who were found to have contracted the COVID-19 virus on Thursday.

Ms Young revealed that the pair who were from Carindale visited the centre in South Brisbane on Monday and on Tuesday of last week.

In a press release issued by St George on its website, the mother was a program co-ordinator for the Community Respite team that worked in the Administration Building on Browning Street.

“The person was symptomatic on Tuesday morning and immediately self-isolated as per Government regulations and was subsequently tested. Areas where she worked remain closed and being deep cleaned and the person’s network of friends, colleagues and respite users are being contacted together with the respite service users during the relevant period. All Community staff working in the same building have been directed for testing. The Community is working with QLD Health and following all directions.,” the statement said.

“The Community is working with this person on their movements in the days preceding her symptoms. There is no indication at this stage that The Greek Club, The GOC Childcare, The Greek Orthodox Church of St George, The Greek Ethnic Language School of St George, or any other Community services have been exposed to any positive cases. All COVID Protocols are in place appropriately.”

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On Sunday, a  man who was reported to have been in close contact with the community centre tested positive. On the same day, Queensland authorities announced that another person linked to the centre had been in quarantine since Friday. The ABC reported that the two cases were linked to an outbreak within the Portuguese community centre in the city.

A posting on the St George Facebook page announced that the the church and centre would remain closed until Sunday, 11 July when it would be open to the public and services would be conducted by Fr George Papoutsakis. It said that those in isolation would be returning on Wednesday, 14 July.

“Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Due to the Qld Health mandate for Home Isolation and Quarantine, for Fr Stavros and Fr Dimitri, along with many of their Co-workers, the Church will remain closed until SUNDAY 11TH JULY 2021. This Matins and Divine Liturgy will be conducted by Very Rev Father George Papoutsakis.
The English Divine Liturgy for Saturday 10th July will NOT go ahead.
Fr Dimitri, Fr Stavros and our relevant staff will isolate for the mandatory period, meaning we should be back on board Wednesday 14 July.
In the meantime Fr Dimitri and Fr Stavros cannot leave home for any purpose, including Pastoral callouts or Church Services.
The Church however, will be open to the Public next Sunday 11 July for Services.
Please keep us in your prayers.”
An earlier posting, on 3 July, stated that the administration building would be ” will be deep cleaned in accordance with Health Department directives“.

Meanwhile, Queensland Health officials linked three COVID cases to people who had visited the Zeus Street Greek Kitchen at Westfield Chermside in Brisbane.