Next week on Home and Away in the UK, Summer Bay’s beloved diner is closed as it’s revealed as the source of a major health incident.
This week’s episodes have seen some curious items wash up on Summer Bay’s beach, kicking off with a container of chlorine, a garden hose, and some masks discovered by Justin (James Stewart) and Theo (Matt Evans).
By the time John (Shane Withington) arrived on the trusty Can-Am, the pair had gathered up a selection of containers and various other garden related items.
With many of the items still in their packaging, John surmised that it must be spilled cargo from a boat, though a quick call to the maritime safety authority didn’t bring any reports of capsized vessels.
John was determined to get to the bottom of it however, and even turned down the offer of a pool, pizza and PlayStation evening with Justin and Theo (we’d have paid good money to see that) to take a look at the ocean current maps.
When Dana (Ally Harris) came into John’s office the next day, she was surprised to find a massive pile of objects that had been gathered, now including deckchairs and a garden gnome.
Dana commented that she’d love a mystery to spice up the day, and she got her wish when they then took the buggy down to the beach and found two large containers had been washed up.
The containers were locked, but with the maritime authority advising that it could be 48 hours before they are able to take it away, both John and Dana decided they couldn’t wait that long to find out what was inside as they headed back down with tools to crack it open.
Next week, as we rejoin the scene, Dana is hoping for treasure as they both prise the lid off, only to be met with an awful stench.
A label inside appears to confirm that the contents are nothing more than plain old potting mix.
Disappointed by the anti-climax, John heads up to the diner for a commiseratory coffee and muffin, but when he and Dana later head back down to the container to replace the lock, John has a funny turn.
Dana rushes to assist as John drops to his knees and immediately falls unconscious.
Luckily, Dr Levi (Tristan Gorey) and Mackenzie (Emily Weir) are nearby, and as Dana and Levi tend to John, Mac calls an ambulance.
Paramedic Jo (Katie Horkey) hands John over to Bree (Juliet Godwin) at the hospital, explaining that he is bradycardic. When Dana tells Bree that she and John had touched some potting compost, Bree is forced to engage the hospital’s full infectious protocol, realising that it could contain a hazardous contaminant.
John is put into isolation, as is Dana after she’s taken a decontamination shower, despite her not displaying any symptoms. After Dana admits to Bree that she had been to Salt and kissed Xander (Luke Van Os), Xander is also called in, bringing the clothes he was wearing at the time.
Bree gets to work trying to research possible contaminants, but has no idea where to start narrowing it down.
John remains stable as they do all they can to relieve his symptoms, with he and Dana spending their isolation playing games and talking about their respective families.
The next day a biohazard team investigates the containers. Meanwhile, at the diner, Marilyn (Emily Symons) all of a sudden becomes a bit light-headed. A customer then throws up, and as Marilyn goes to help, she herself has to be helped into a chair by Roo as she takes a turn for the worse.
Irene (Lynne McGranger) makes her way to the hospital for an update on John and Dana, but is concerned when Roo then wheels Marilyn in.
As Roo explains to Bree that Marilyn passed out in the car, and that she saw John briefly yesterday on his visit to the diner, Bree wonders if the illness could be airborne and orders everyone to put on masks.
John feels guilty when he hears that Marilyn has been brought in, though it’s still a mystery that Dana is so far displaying no symptoms of her own. Could there be another explanation?
Their answer soon comes when Bree receives word that the compost has come back clear. Whatever is going on, it’s not down to the container…
Meanwhile, back at the diner, another customer Joseph (Paul Winchester) is suddenly taken ill and leaves in a hurry. After a passer-by finds Joseph semi-conscious outside, he is also rushed to the hospital, where Bree finally realises what’s going on.
“We’re looking in the wrong place,” she tells Irene and Roo. “It looks like the diner’s the problem.”
A horrified Irene rushes back to the bay and informs the customers, including Remi (Adam Rowland) and Theo, that they must leave immediately, being sure to hand them a leaflet with medical advice as a precaution.
The diner is immediately closed on order of the health authority, and Irene is forced to break the news to Leah (Ada Nicodemou) over the phone as a biohazard team conduct a thorough investigation.
Will the business be able to survive this?
