Woman who sparked Brisbane COVID scare after Melbourne trip sentenced

“(There was a) 1.7 per cent increase in COVID testing overnight as a result of the investigation,” she said.

“Some 8500 tests in the 24 hour period estimated to have cost $333,000 and that’s just the cost of the tests alone.”

Ms Muranga’s lawyer, Dominic Brunello, said his client, who was studying a Bachelor of Paramedicine, was fired from her job as a cleaner at Parklands Christian College.

He said Ms Muranga had suffered clinical depression and anxiety as a result of racist messaging and extreme social media abuse, including a rape threat.

“She did the wrong thing…however the treatment she has received is grossly disproportionate to her culpability,” he said.

“She has been scapegoated.”

Mr Brunello said Ms Muranga had…