Coronavirus Qld: Premier reveals snap lockdown will be triggered by unlinked community transmission cases

Queenslanders are on the verge of another lockdown after a woman tested positive to the Delta variant, and now the Premier has revealed the wafer-thin threshold.

Queenslanders are “on the verge” of being plunged into lockdown after a Sunshine Coast woman tested positive to the Delta variant, marking the first time the fast-spreading strain has entered the Sunshine State community.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Monday announced that a raft of restrictions – relaxed only days ago – would be tightened up in response to the escalating situation, with mask-wearing to be mandatory for millions in the state’s southeast.

The latest case – a woman from Bli Bli – was among 170 fly-in and fly-out workers in Queensland who were exposed to the virus at a site in remote NT after another miner also contracted Covid.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: NCA NewsWire / John Gass

It is understood all of the remaining 169 workers in Queensland have been tracked down by officials and have gone into quarantine, with most of them tested.

The woman was out in the community for about one day while unknowingly infectious, but Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said she was more concerned about the “unknown” – such as the test results of the other miners.

As she announced the new restrictions on Monday, Ms Palaszczuk confirmed the government was on the “verge” of calling a lockdown, saying the threshold to declare one would be unlinked community transmission cases.

“But we are monitoring very, very closely over the next 24, 48 hours,” the Premier said.

“This is the Delta strain. You’ve seen how quickly it has escalated in NSW over a period of about 10 days.

“We’re going to be looking at this day by day and we will not hesitate to take action. I’ll tell you that.”

Mask wearing will now be mandatory for two weeks in eleven local government areas in the state’s southeast, including Brisbane, Ipswich, Logan, the Gold Coast, Moreton Bay, Noosa and Lockyer Valley.

Anyone who travels outside the impacted council areas from 1am this morning will still have to wear a face covering.

Masks do not need to be worn in cars, or while exercising outside with members from the same household.

Eating and drinking will only be allowed while being seated at hospitality venues in the southeast, while dancing at clubs and pubs has been scrapped, except for at weddings.

Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Weddings and funerals can only have up to 100 guests, while private gatherings at homes and public spaces will be limited to 30 people.

Southeast venues can seat one person per 4 sqm for inside areas, with the same rules to extend to places of worship and convention centres, while outdoor venues can cater to one person per 2 sqm,

Police yesterday warned that those who failed to comply with the mask restrictions could be slapped with an on the spot fine of $200, while those who fail to follow police directions to put one on could be fined as much as $1334.

Ms Palaszczuk yesterday said she hoped that Queensland would be spared from “tougher action” by taking the “precautionary measures”.

“I’m quite sure people will understand that we have to do this because we need to get on top of it very quickly,” she said.

“The next 24 to 48 hours are going to be very crucial in Queensland about whether or not we see any spread of this Delta strain.

“We’ve got to act very quickly.”

Dr Young said they were still trying to work out how long each of the remaining 169 miners had been out in the community for.

“I assume they’re throughout the state,” she said.

“Fly-in, fly-out miners live in their normal homes and then fly in and fly out to the mines.”

There were two other Covid cases recorded in Queensland yesterday – one international arrival detected in hotel quarantine and another community acquired case that was linked to the cluster at the Portuguese Community Centre.

Ms Palaszczuk said officials were not concerned about the community acquired case because they had already been in home quarantine.

Under the new restrictions, 100 per cent seated and allocated ticketed capacity is still allowed for outdoor stadiums, amphitheatres and large convention centres in the southeast.

Outside of southeast Queensland, the restrictions remain more relaxed, with 100 people allowed to gather at homes as long as a list of attendees is kept – and there is no cap for outdoor public gatherings.