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Andreas Nicola is a general news reporter for The Courier Mail. Originally from Queensland he spent the last few years studying in Melbourne but has now found himself lucky to call Queensland home again.

@AndreasNicola97

Andreas Nicola

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UpdatedCairns

Six people in hospital as Covid cases soar in Cairns

Cairns has recorded another sharp spike in Covid cases overnight, while two new cases have been confirmed in Weipa. Hundreds of people remain in quarantine in the region.

Cairns

Man charged over alleged bomb threat at Cairns bank

A man has been charged after police blocked off a Cairns street in response to an alleged bomb threat. Plus we have all your weather, events and traffic updates.

Cairns

What’s open: New Year’s trading hours in Cairns

Want to find out where to have a meal or where you can do your shopping? Here’s what is open in Cairns for New Year’s Day and the public holiday on Monday.

UpdatedCairns

Close up color image depicting a group of people celebrating with a toast. The people cheers their glasses of beer (pints of beer) together in a gesture of celebration, togetherness and happiness. The people are defocused in the background, while focus is on the glasses of beer in the foreground. Room for copy space.

Full list: Covid exposure sites in Far North, Cape York

New contact tracing alerts have been issued for locations across the Far North including Palm Cove, Port Douglas and Cairns. A number of bars and restaurants are included. SEE THE LIST

Cairns

Residents sweat on vital post-Christmas collection

Some Cairns residents couldn’t wait for the Christmas bin pick-up this year after seafood and meat were left marinating outside in the summer sun. BIN DAY INFO

Cairns

Last-minute options for New Year’s Eve in Far North

There is still time to organise your New Year’s Eve celebrations in the Far North, with some last-minute options available. SEE THE LIST

Cairns

Huge spike in Cairns cases as hospital changes visitor policy

Cairns Hospital will move to a no-visitor policy in its emergency department following the largest single-day increase in Covid cases for the region. The virus has also spread to Thursday Island and Weipa.

Cairns

Firefighters called in to rescue tiny kitten

Discovering the whereabouts of their kitten after it vanished from home over Christmas was just the start of the problem for one Far North family.

Cairns

The Queensland Government has backflipped on mandatory Covid-19 PCR testing to enter Queensland, after numerous positive coronavirus cases arrived from interstate and local tourism workers were forced into quarantine as close contacts. Cairns Adventure Group, which runs white water rafting companies Raging Thunder and Foaming Fury in the Barron Gorge National Park outside of Cairns, are struggling to keep enough staff rostered on in what is their busiest period of the year. Cairns Adventure Group Director Roderic Rees is fed up with the government's lack of foresight and changing directives affecting his business. Picture: Brendan Radke

Tourism operators’ plea for rapid antigen tests

Shattered Far North tourism operators have issued a plea to the state government to allow the use of rapid antigen tests as Covid isolation rules can leave them without enough staff to function.

Cairns

Could the Far North be doing more Covid checks on arrivals?

As the Far North case numbers grow, Far North leaders think more can be done to keep the community safe. A Cairns regional councillor thinks airport arrivals could be policed more. What do you think?

Original URL: https://www.couriermail.com.au/journalists/andreas-nicola/page/128