Gold Coast is state’s new Covid epicentre after man infectious for four days in the community

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has declared she will not hesitate in calling a “hard” and “fast” lockdown as cases explode on the Gold Coast and fears of a new case in the community in Brisbane.

The Gold Coast is emerging as Queensland’s Covid-19 hot spot after a man spent four days there while infectious.

The man, linked to an aviation cluster, was one of two community cases announced yesterday morning.

Last night there were fears of a fresh case in Hamilton, but Queensland Health could not confirm if it was new, or one already linked to the area.

As Queenslanders prepared for the long weekend, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk declared she would not hesitate to call a lockdown.

“This is serious … we will go hard, we will go fast if necessary,” she said. “The fundamental reason we’re not in lockdown is because we don’t have any seeding or unlinked community transmission.”

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says she won’t hesitate to call a lockdown if the situation gets worse. Picture: Dan Peled/Getty Images

The Brisbane man, a new case in the aviation cluster, spent four days with his family at the Iconic Kirra Beach Resort.

Chief health officer Jeannette Young said people who had been in the area from September 25 – including at North Kirra Surf Life Saving Club – should get tested.

“Anyone who’s been to any of those venues or anywhere in that part of the Gold Coast over the last week, if you’ve got any symptoms at all, now is the time that you really please come forward and get tested,” she said.

The second case was a man who travels between Queensland and NSW moving animals. He was in the community for only one day, and Dr Young said, “I don’t think he’s a risk”.

The Brisbane, Moreton Bay, Gold Coast, Townsville and Palm Beach areas remain on edge, with the latest outbreak reaching 15 cases.

Dr Young said mask and public gathering restrictions would continue if people left Covid-affected communities and travelled across the state.

“You’ve got to follow exactly the same restrictions as if you’re at home,” she said.

Ms Palaszczuk said high testing numbers – 20,000 on Thursday – had given authorities optimism. Asked if people would be able to travel to Queensland at Christmas, Ms Palaszczuk declared: “I don’t have a crystal ball.

“I would love people to be able to travel, but we will do so when it’s safe.”

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath called for Queenslanders who were travelling around the state on school holidays to use the extra time to get vaccinations.

“Get vaccinated on holiday … because the quicker we get vaccinated, the quicker we can protect our community,” she said.

Dr Young encouraged anyone, including those with appointments, to attend a walk-in clinic and get vaccinated immediately.

“Don’t worry, turn up now,” she said.