‘Patient zero’ tells Neil Mitchell the hotel quarantine system is a mess

The man who used a nebuliser at the Holiday Inn quarantine hotel and ended up in intensive care with COVID-19 has spoken to Neil Mitchell.

The man who has been dubbed ‘Patient Zero’ by the state government, is now out of hospital and his partner and three-month-old baby are doing well.

Neil Mitchell has spoken at length to the man, who he says has been “brutalised by the government and the system”.

“He’s told me the hotel quarantine system is a mess,” the 3AW Mornings host said.

“He said you go in and there are no warning signs, no information as you go in, no serious ventilation, no signs saying don’t use a nebuliser. He says the air-conditioning made them all feel ill at the Holiday Inn.”

The man told Neil Mitchell he was tested for COVID-19 before boarding a flight from Europe.

“It is possible he picked up the virus in quarantine,” the 3AW Mornings host said.

“Remember, he used the nebuliser after being told it was okay, then the Premier dog whistled and blamed him, then the Commissioner, Emma Cassar, effectively accused him of lying.

“This man now wants an apology, which is fair enough.

“Brett Sutton called him but he says all he got was a speech about how good the policies were.

“He wants the Premier to call him and he wants the Premier to make a public apology.

“He wants a full inquiry into what happened in this case to give him answers … and to ensure something like this never happens again.

“The system is ill-considered, it’s messy, the man’s case is proof of it.”

Press PLAY below for more.

The man, who did not want to go live to air due to concerns over being identified, recorded a message for the state government.

His voice has been altered to hide his identity.

“I think what really surprises me is that nobody, really, from the Andrews government has tried to reach us and get my side of this story and understand,” he said.

“I’d expect with the gold standard that you’d be trying to get facts from every single source. Not just your own sources.”

Press PLAY below to hear the man’s full message.