"Refugees and asylum seekers flag fears over possible coronavirus hotspot in Brisbane", 4 April 2020

Refugees and asylum seekers in Brisbane have begun daily protests urging for their release after doctors and human rights lawyers flagged fears that a repurposed hotel could become a coronavirus infection hotspot.

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Concern among more than 80 detainees at the Kangaroo Point Central Hotel has been heightened after a guard employed by contractor Serco tested positive....

In a statement, the Department of Home Affairs said "infection control plans are in place" and "no detainees across the immigration detention network have tested positive to COVID-19."

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Home Affairs said the Serco employee had not had contact with detainees for 11 days prior to testing positive.

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Detainees say maintaining a safe social distance is difficult in the APOD and have posted videos on social media showing close contact with personnel, queuing for food, cramped conditions on shared balconies and a lack of hand sanitiser in dispensers.

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"Staff are coming in and we are dealing with these people every single day, they might have the virus and they don't know it," detainee Farhad said in a video message.

Home Affairs in a statement said, "a range of measures have been introduced, and are being continually reviewed."

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Employer Serco declined to comment on work conditions at the facility.

"The Department of Home Affairs manages each immigration detention facility and as the service provider we support the management of detainees," Serco said.

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