Coronavirus Qld: Growing fears of new Covid wave as multiple states on the brink

Authorities are worried Australia is on the precipice of a new wave of Covid-19 as states and territories battle outbreaks on a host of fronts, with Queensland putting new restrictions in place as case numbers rise.

Authorities are worried Australia is on the precipice of a new wave of Covid-19 as states and territories battle outbreaks on a host of fronts, calling snap lockdowns, border closures and for greater urgency around the vaccine rollout.

It’s understood chief health officers from across the country are deeply concerned Australia is in one of the worst positions it’s been in since the pandemic began, with contact tracing now spreading across state lines and with cases potentially already in the community undetected.

There have been internal discussions around whether a national approach may soon be needed, it can be revealed.

The outbreak has sparked an emergency meeting of national cabinet on Monday.

The Prime Minister will also convene a national security committee of cabinet meeting on Tuesday morning.

NSW is likely to record double-digit figures of the highly-contagious Delta strain across the next week, hundreds of people exposed at an Northern Territory mine are now spread across the country and the states have no way to track everyone who has travelled out of NSW’s red zone.

CHO Jeannette Young and Qld Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk Presser, Oxley. Picture: Liam Kidston

Authorities nationwide are now scrambling to contain the virus after positive cases in Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia on top of the growing New South Wales outbreak.

In a dramatic escalation of the COVID-19 situation in Australia yesterday, a range of measures were introduced to combat the spread including:

– The Northern Territory plunging into a 48-hour lockdown after recording four new cases connected to a miner who caught the Delta strain of the virus in Queensland’s hotel quarantine system

– Restrictions in Western Australia, such as no spectators at the AFL and mandatory masks, after one community case emerged related to NSW’s Bondi cluster

– South Australia closing its border to Queensland, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory in addition to NSW.

Asked whether Australia was on the verge of an outbreak, Health Minister Greg Hunt said every case across the country right now was “of concern”.

“Every case is of concern but what I am focused on is making sure we have the testing, tracing and appropriate distancing in place around the country,” he said.

“I have confidence and we have confidence in every state and territory’s system. We are, in my view, in a better place than virtually every other country in the world to manage outbreaks.”

He said he was “confident we will get through it” but said there would be “challenges” going forward.

“There will be cases that follow,” he said.

“We need to be honest and aware of that.

“But can we manage it? Yes. Will we manage it? Yes.”

A seafood business in Sydney’s inner west is under the microscope after New South Wales recorded 30 new locally acquired cases of Covid-19, premier Gladys Berejiklian said.

Ms Berejiklian confirmed on Saturday Greater Sydney, the Central Coast, Wollongong and the Blue Mountains would be plunged into a 14-day lockdown as the state faced a rapidly-spreading Covid-19 outbreak, before the state recorded another 30 cases on Sunday.

Novotel Hotel at DFO where they have had transmission inside, Brisbane Airport. Picture: Liam Kidston.

Ms Berejiklian has been critical of states imposing lockdowns, on Friday avoiding using the term altogether, but denied the delay was an attempt to preserve her reputation as Australia’s most anti-lockdown leader.

“I do not regret a single decision we have taken because it has been based on health advice. When you are making a major decision to lockdown millions and millions of people, you have to make sure it is based on health advice and not because you want to have zero cases every day,” she told reporters on Sunday.

NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner said authorities were taking “extreme action” to stop or slow any spread of the virus.

“The Northern Territory is now facing its biggest threat since the Covid crisis began,” he said.

“I cannot rule out the lockdown being longer or expanding the boundaries of the lockdown.”

When closing his borders Sunday South Australian Premier Steven Marshall told reporters: “We all appreciate there’s been a significant deterioration in the situation in Australia over the last 24 to 48 hours.”

WA Premier Mark McGowan said the state could not afford to take any risks with the virus when announcing restrictions.

“I know this is frustrating, but we must follow the health advice and do everything we can to minimise community spread,” Mr McGowan said.