An autopsy has reportedly found the Queensland man thought to be Australia’s youngest COVID-19 victim tested negative to the virus after his death.

Nathan Turner’s death last week had baffled authorities and placed residents in the central Queensland town of Blackwater on notice after an initial coronavirus test following his death returned a positive result.

Mr Turner, 30, had serious underlying health issues before experiencing coronavirus symptoms in the weeks before he died and was not tested while alive.

But a workmate of the Emerald miner’s fiancee on Monday reported a second test conducted after his death came back negative.

“We have just got word from our staff member Nathan’s partner that his autopsy report has come in and Nathan has been CLEARED as COVID 19 NEGATIVE,” Kelly Bunyoung posted on Facebook.

“Blackwater can now rest easy.”

This finding takes the Queensland death total down to six from the previous seven.

Queensland Health confirmed the negative test on Monday night.

“The Coroner tonight advised that further tests have returned negative for COVID-19. He is yet to determine the man’s cause of death,” the state’s chief health office Jeannette Young said in a statement.

As Mr Turner had not worked for six months or left the mining town since February, authorities were unsure how he contracted the virus.

Hundreds of Blackwater locals were tested and Queensland Health even had the town’s sewage tested to try and determine the source of his COVID-19 infection.

His death also led to an unnamed nurse, who has been suspended after she continued to show up for work at a Rockhampton nursing home, being the subject of an investigation into the source of the supposed infection.

She took a sightseeing road trip to Blackwater during the lockdown.

-AAP