Qld coronavirus: Steven Miles to provide COVID-19 update
Queensland’s Chief Health Officer is so confident of their contact tracing system and health protocols that the state will not go back into lockdown in another outbreak. It comes as restrictions ease in the border zone and for outdoor dining.
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Queenslanders can expect further outbreaks of COVID-19 as the borders reopen but should not panic nor fear going back into lockdown again, says the state’s chief health officer.
The Sunshine State is welcoming NSW residents from as far south as Lismore, Glenn Innes and Casino after the easing of restrictions from October 1, with the government extending its COVID-19 line of demarcation beyond the Tweed River.
Chief Health Officer Dr Jeanette Young said as Queensland welcomes more visitors there will be a greater chance of positive coronavirus cases and community transmission being detected within the state.
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Deputy Premier Steven Miles says there have been no new confirmed COVID-19 cases in Queensland overnight but the virus has been detected in sewerage results in north Queensland.
Mr Miles said there has been another positive virus test result found in the sewerage in Cannonvale with a pop up COVID-19 clinic to be set up.
Only four active cases are known of in Queensland.
New South Wales residents within the border zone can now travel anywhere in Queensland as a part of the change.
A border declaration pass is still required for anyone entering Queensland.
Restrictions have also eased for outdoor dining.
Dr Young said this was a start to easing restrictions as people could begin to prepare for Christmas events.
“I think we will see further changes as we move towards the latter part of the year,” she said.
“We also know now what to do if we do have a case, because we are going to get more cases — that’s inevitable.
“Across the world, there are well over 13 million cases and over a million deaths, so we will see cases coming to Queensland in the future, but we know how to manage them.
“We know what we need to do, so we can very rapidly respond but not have to close everything down as we had to do back in March, because we’ve now got those systems in place.
“That’s a really good position for us to be in as we go into summer in Queensland.”
Dr Young said it was unlikely that Queensland would go backwards as systems were now in place.
Mr Miles said with active cases still in Sydney, Queensland should see how the eased border restrictions go before moving forward.
“It’s only today that we’ve expanded that border zone,” he said.
Mr Miles said the Government had launched planning for an expansion of the ED at the Prince Charles Hospital.
He said $3 million would be allocated to the planning process.
The Government will also look at a major redevelopment and expansion of the hospital.
