Queensland Health has confirmed further tests show 30-year-old Nathan Turner did not have coronavirus before he died last week. They had previously stated the man returned a positive test after his death, which prompted the setup of fever clinics and deployment of contact tracers to the central Queensland town of Blackwater.
An autopsy report shows the Emerald man, who had underlying health issues, tested negative to COVID-19 and his cause of death is yet to be established.
This takes the Queensland death total down to six from the previous seven.
Mr Turner, who had complex medical conditions, was found dead in his home last week.
In a statement, Queensland Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said the coroner was yet to determine Mr Turner's cause of death.
"On May 27, a post-mortem test on a man from Blackwater returned positive for COVID-19 and his partner confirmed he had been unwell with flu-like symptoms for a number of weeks," Dr Young said.
"On that basis Queensland Health established a rapid public health response, including quarantining and testing close contacts, expanding COVID-19 testing in Blackwater and talking to the community, as it would expect us to do.
"The coroner tonight advised that further tests have returned negative for COVID-19."
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