Qld ups hotel quarantine response as new COVID strains emerge

Queensland’s top doctor says the emergence of new strains of COVID-19 in the UK means there can be no relaxation of strict hotel quarantine rules.

Queensland has “upped” its response in hotel quarantine amid reports of new strains of COVID-19 in the UK.

A second, more contagious strain has been detected in two cases in the UK, which has prompted travel restrictions between South Africa and Britain.

Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said after the initial, new variant was reported, authorities conducted genome sequencing on everyone who had arrived from the UK over the last month, who had not already had it done.

Dr Young said none of those results contained that virus sequence.

Health Minister Yvette D'Ath and Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young. Picture: David Clark

And she said the strain which is circulating around Sydney’s northern beaches was also not it.

But Dr Young said authorities needed to be “even more cautious than we’ve been to date” with anyone who arrives from overseas.

“So I’ve spoken to all of my colleagues around the state this morning and said that we have to be exceptionally cautious about anyone from overseas who is in hotel quarantine,” she said.

“That we cannot have those fresh air breaks, that we cannot have people leaving hotel quarantine for any reason unless it’s a threat to their life.”

Dr Young said while Queensland had upped its response, she was not concerned about the state’s quarantine program.

“It has proven to be very, very effective for us in Queensland til now but I have increased some of the security and the arrangements around it,” she said.