Live Q&A: Your questions answered by Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young

Queensland's chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young has revealed what it will take to lift tough coronavirus restrictions in Queensland as she confirmed only five cases of community transmission had been recorded in the past week. FOLLOW THE Q&A

Queensland's chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young has revealed the first of tough social distancing restrictions could be lifted in Queensland in weeks as she confirmed only five cases of community transmission had been recorded in the past week.

But she warned lifting the restrictions too soon could be 'disastrous' and it would require several weeks of low numbers of cases before lifting restrictions could be considered.

Dr Young made the revelations during a live Q&A with Courier Mail readers on Thursday afternoon after they submitted a wide range of questions to the state's top health boss who is guiding Queensland through the coronavirus pandemic.

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She said 92 per cent of Queensland's confirmed ,1001 coronavirus cases were acquired overseas or they were a close contact of someone who had been overseas.

"We are seeing low numbers of community transmission in Queensland at this time," she told readers during the Q&A.

 

"92 per cent of the current total 1,001 cases were acquired from overseas or acquired from a close contact of someone who had recently returned from overseas, such as a partner or a flatmate.

 

"Another 1.8 per cent of confirmed cases had a history of recent interstate travel.

 

"In total, only 39 cases have been determined as community transmission – that is, we don’t know the source of infection. In the past week, we have confirmed five cases of community transmission across the whole state."

 

She said while most of those community transmission cases had occurred in Brisbane, Gold Coast and Cairns, there had been  one case in Central Queensland, two in Wide Bay and three in Sunshine Coast over the last few months.

 

"We are seeing signs of flattening the curve, but now is not the time to be complacent. It’s encouraging that numbers have stayed low over the past week, and we want to keep it that way," she said.

 

She said lifting restrictions would require sustained low numbers of cases for a few weeks.

 

"Lifting restrictions too early could be disastrous and cost lives. We need to sustain these low numbers at least for a few weeks until we can look into lifting any restrictions, she said.

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Dr Jeannette Young, Chief Health Officer, will answer your questions. Picture Shae Beplate.

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Just five new cases were recorded overnight - the lowest rise since early March - with the state’s tally now sitting at 1001.

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