Covid-19: Queensland has 11 new coronavirus cases, Coast residents warned to steer clear of border

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has pleaded with Gold Coast residents not to cross the border into NSW, warning that “if we have to implement harder measures we will”.

PREMIER Annastacia Palaszczuk has warned Gold Coast residents to steer clear of New South Wales and flagged potential “harder measures” to stop the spread of Covid-19 at the border.

The premier’s message comes as Byron Shire and various other northern NSW local government areas are in lockdown after Sydney man Zoran Radovanovic, 52, allegedly travelled north while infected by the Delta variant. He has been charged by NSW Police.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk speaks this morning. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Sarah Marshall

“Can I say to Queenslanders who live on the Gold Coast-NSW border as well, or to any Queenslanders in southern parts of our state: please do not cross into NSW,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“We will be monitoring the situation extremely closely over the next 24 to 48 hours.

“We do not want to see this virus creeping north and if we have to implement harder measures we will.

“Now is not the time to cross the border and do your shopping. Please stay within Queensland.”

Ms Palaszczuk said she was “very concerned about the situation in NSW”.

“The deputy premier and I will be having a phone hook up with our mayors along those border communities just to reinforce to them that nobody should be crossing that border to go into NSW at this stage,” she said.

Ms Palaszczuk said essential workers could still travel around the border region and talks were underway to boost vaccination rates along the border.

Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young. Picture: Tara Croser.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said he supported the Premier’s comments for Gold Coasters to reconsider any planned cross-border travel.

“I fully back that position given the Covid challenges in Byron Bay.

“As mayor, I urge any Gold Coaster wanting to cross the border for leisure purposes to please stay on the coast. We don’t want to risk any cross-border transmission.

“Looking ahead, the Tweed-Coolangatta bubble is vital for residents on both sides as they cross for schooling, medical appointments and work. I strongly urge both premiers to keep our bubble operating. The police, as usual, are doing an amazing job.’’

It was also revealed at a press conference in Brisbane on Thursday morning that Quensland had recorded 11 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, including 10 linked to the Indooroopilly school Delta cluster and detected in home quarantine. One new case was acquired overseas.

Ms Palaszczuk said there was 155 active cases and 130 linked to the cluster.

There had been more than 16,000 vaccinations and 31,700 tests in the previous 24 hours.

The new numbers came after it was confirmed on Wednesday night a recent Coast case was a false positive.

Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young thanked Queenslanders for wearing face masks as required and said: “I hate them.”

But she emphasised it was important to be masked to prevent the spread of the virus.

“I find them so hard – they are so against our normal culture but boy they work,” Dr Young said.

“They are so effective.”

Ms Palaszczuk said Queensland would reopen its border to South Australia on the back of “more good news”, but only for flights for the time being.

Dr Young warned of “more outbreaks” in Queensland, as the NSW government worked to contain its concerning Delta situation.

On Wednesday, Queensland announced just four new cases of Covid-19, all linked to the Indooroopilly Delta cluster and detected in home quarantine.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: Tara Croser.

Additionally, it was revealed by Queensland Health later in the day the reported case of Covid-19 on the Coast announced on Sunday – which resulted in a Woolworths supermarket in Mudgeeraba being listed as an exposure site – had been triple checked and ruled out as a new case.

Queensland has recorded 1940 coronavirus cases since the pandemic began, seven people have died, 1744 people have recovered and more than 3.7 million tests have been undertaken.

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