Coronavirus Qld: Latest Qld Covid case numbers revealed

Queensland will close its border to NSW as the situation there continues to escalate, while masks must be worn for another seven days in the state’s southeast. But a number of restrictions will be eased after no new Covid-19 cases were recorded in the past 24 hours.

Queensland will shut the border to NSW from 1am on Friday as the situation in Sydney continues to cause concern, with 124 new cases recorded there on Thursday.

It comes as no new locally acquired cases were recorded overnight.

The border will close to all of NSW, except to the usual border zone areas, with police re-establishing checkpoints at the border, warning motorists there will be congestion and to make sure they have the right border pass.

Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said the situation was starting to escalate in NSW.

She said if people living in the border zone journey south into the wider hotspot they won’t be allowed to enter Queensland.

Queenslanders currently in NSW will need to get home before 1am tomorrow if they want to avoid mandatory hotel quarantine.

Dr Young said that while the ACT had done fantastically so far, people should also reconsider travelling there.

“I suspect we will be reviewing (the border closure) it in a months time but if things rapidly turn around it could be earlier but if things worsen it could be longer.”

Dr Young said the border with Victoria could open earlier.

But, within Queensland, many restrictions will be eased, as masks will continue to be required for those in the southeast for the next seven days.

This means from 6am on Friday gatherings can increase from 30 to 100 people.

There will be no limit for people gathering outdoors.

Hospitality businesses will revert back to one person per 2 square metres.

The Acting Premier of Queensland Steven Miles. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

People will also be allowed to visit loved ones in hospitals and aged care across the southeast again.

Greater numbers will also be allowed at funerals and weddings, with attentdance totals being increased from 100 to 200.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said the restrictions would ease from 6am on Friday.

“The numbers we are seeing interstate is very concerning but we can do what we are announcing today because of the great work of Queenslanders,” Ms D’Ath said.

People in the southeast, however, will need to continue wearing masks for another seven days, Dr Young said.

“It is great to see the restrictions will ease from tomorrow but I have asked for an additional week that people wear masks,” Dr Young said.

“For the vast majority of people I would like to wear masks at all times.”

People will also have to wear masks while dancing.

But stadiums with capacity larger than 20,000 will be capped at 75 per cent capacity.

People attending sporting games will now have to wear masks while sitting down but not while eating.

Dr Young said she was positive that the current mask wearing had allowed Queensland to avoid further community transmission.

She said it was critical people now wore masks in stadiums following transmission in stadiums in Melbourne.

“This is simply in recognition of the risks we have learnt from other states,” Dr Young said.

“I now need you to keep your mask on for the entire time while you’re in the stadium unless you are eating or drinking.”

She added, however, it was very good news that there are no new cases of Covid-19.

“Should any of them become positive, it is still possible they are already isolated,” she said.

Police are ‘ready to go’ with reinstalling border checkpoints on the southern Gold Coast, the city’s top cop says.

Superintendent Rhys Wildman says the four main checkpoints will be in place on Griffith St at Coolangatta, Miles St at Kirra, the Gold Coast Highway at Bilinga and M1 at Tugun from 1am on Friday.

Other infrastructure, including concrete barriers on the M1 to divert traffic into one lane, may not be erected until the weekend.

Supt Wildman said it was unclear if other agencies including the Australian Defence Force, State Emergency Service and Rural Fire Service would be asked to help man checkpoints at this stage.

Troops, SES and RFS volunteers were called in to help police during the previous two border closures last year and earlier this year.

Police reinforcements are expected to be seconded from across the state for checkpoint duties which could last at least a month.

The four main checkpoints will be in place on Griffith St at Coolangatta, Miles St at Kirra, the Gold Coast Highway at Bilinga and M1 at Tugun from 1am on Friday. (Photo by PATRICK HAMILTON / AFP)

Mr Miles said the state’s hotel quarantine system was stretched with 2995 people quarantining.

“We want to be able to tomorrow, ease as many restrictions as possible,” Mr Miles said.

“We really want to be able to ease these restrictions safely but we can’t ease here without greater assurance from other people travelling from other states.”

“We need to close the border to the rest of New South Wales,”

There will be a border zone in place allowing people in those communities to move around for essential reasons, not including Coffs Harbour.

Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young. Picture: NCA Newswire / Dan Peled

Acting premier Steven Miles said there were 26 active cases, and praised the high levels of testing.

“We passed 2 million vaccines in Queensland,” he said .

Dr Young urged anyone over 60 to get their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

“If you’re 60 years or older, please for your own sake get vaccinated,” she said.

“We can see that the risk is just escalating.

“The best person you can talk to is your own GP and for anyone in Queensland who doesn’t have a GP now is a time to find one and develop that relationship.”

It comes as the Mareeba woman who tested positive to Covid-19 late Monday admitted she did not isolate while waiting for a test result and instead gave into pressure and went out with friends.

Family members of the 23-year-old fully-vaccinated woman says she takes full responsibility for her actions and admits she made a mistake by going shopping and to popular restaurant Rice Boi on the Sunshine Coast while waiting for a test result on July 15.