The Qantas flight attendant and Sydney tradie who sparked new fears coronavirus had spread in Queensland have been revealed, with the woman also said to be an ex-partner of one of the state's most notorious criminals.
Malynda Gray, 36, who also goes by Mel Waterhouse, has been identified as the woman who moved around in south-east Queensland for a week after experiencing Covid symptoms, The Courier-Mail reported.
Ms Gray felt ill on July 13 but then visited multiple locations in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, including the Dreamworld theme park at Coomera. She returned a positive Covid test on July 22.
She also travelled across the Queensland-NSW border to Ballina on July 14 to collect a 26-year-old man now identified as George Thompson, 26, a Sydney tradesman.
It's believed she contracted the Indian delta variant of the virus from Mr Thompson.
He had been tested for Covid after being a close contact of a Sydney case but instead of self-isolating for 14 days at home in Sydney while awaiting the result, flew to Ballina where he was picked up by Ms Gray and driven first to the Gold Coast, and then on to Brisbane.
Malynda Gray, aka Mel Waterhouse, 36, the Qantas flight attendant who helped NSW man George Thompson cross into Queensland, pictured with cop killer Ricky Maddison
Mr Thompson was tested on July 12 and received an incorrect negative result from the test. NSW Health discovered his result was positive on July 20.
When contacted Mr Thompson said he had been self-isolating since July 10 but Jeremy McAnulty of NSW Health later said 'we know this is not true'.
Both have been given large fines for breaching Covid border restrictions.
Mr Thompson was fined $4,000 for failing to comply with a border direction, $4,000 for providing false information and $1,300 for failing to comply with a direction from an emergency officer.
Police said Mr Thompson had visited three shops at Chermside, in Brisbane's northern suburbs, on July 15 and used false information to check-in.
George Thompson, 26, the Sydney tradie who was meant to be isolating in Sydney after being a close contact of a Covid case but instead travelled to Ballina to meet with Ms Gray on July 14
He was then placed into hotel quarantine in Brisbane where police said he opened the door to his room and verbally abused staff while not wearing a mask.
Mr Thompson allegedly continued to open his door without wearing a face mask after being told he has the Indian delta strain of the virus. He is now in hospital quarantine.
Ms Gray, meanwhile, was fined $4,000 for the trip to Ballina to collect Mr Thompson.
Police said she had not been fully co-operative with contact tracers in detailing her movements. According to ABC News, she had also refused to provide police with Thompson's name.
On Thursday night Queensland Health added a further location to the list of
