A youth detention facility near Ipswich is in lockdown after an employee tested positive to COVID-19. 

Ray Hadley received a tip-off that a 77-year-old female supervisor employed at the Wacol facility remained active in the community for ten days after first showing symptoms, working five shifts before being tested.

He reported some inmates have since become symptomatic.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has since confirmed the reports, and says contact tracing is now underway.

Nine News reporter Rob Morrison told Ray Hadley the inmates have been locked in their rooms overnight and given PPE.

“You really do have quite a high alert going on here at the centre today. Queensland Health really has taken control.”

Ray was flabbergasted by the employee’s failure to act with urgency.

“Given how good it’s been [in Queensland] up until now, it’s just infuriating.”

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Queensland Department of Youth Justice Director-General Bob Gee told Deborah Knight the woman had “very, very limited interactions” with inmates during the shifts she worked while sick.

Protocols will be reviewed after the incident, but Mr Gee said he’s confident the measures taken at the facility are appropriate.

“Before any staff member, visitor, anyone at all can enter the centre, we do a temperature check.

“Then we ask a series of questions.

“I’m not a medical expert, but I think there’s plenty of evidence out there people are asymptomatic in the community.”

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Image: Nine News, Google Maps