Coronavirus: Gathering, aged care and hospital visitation restrictions lifted on Gold Coast after city marks 17 days with no new cases

Up to 30 people will be allowed to gather in homes and outdoors again, instead of just 10 people, and hospital and aged care visiting restrictions will also be ditched – here’s why.

RESTRICTIONS on gatherings and visitors at hospitals and aged care homes will be lifted as the Gold Coast marks 17 days without a new coronavirus case.

Deputy Premier and Health Minister Steven Miles also confirmed this morning no new cases had been recorded in Queensland within the last 24 hours.

“That means that we have now had just one new case in the last four days,” he said.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles stands behind Queensland Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

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“We’ve had no confirmed cases on the Gold Coast … and that means we can now lift the restrictions that applied to the Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service district and the Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service District,” he said.

The lifting of restrictions on the Coast from 8am tomorrow means up to 30 people will be allowed to gather in homes and outdoors again, instead of just 10 people.

Extra personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements at hospitals will also be lifted.

The announcement of the end of the restrictions on the Coast comes as Queensland marks four days without a COVID-19 case linked to the clusters in the southeast of the state.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has staunchly and repeatedly defended the state’s tough coronavirus measures. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Regarding speculation the threshold to end border closures with New South Wales could be slashed from 28 days of no community transmission, Mr Miles said the State Government would be monitoring the situation.

“While we also see other states, particularly NSW and Victoria, continuing to make progress, sadly more people lost their lives to COVID-19 in Victoria in the last 24 hours than have in the entire year here in Queensland,” Mr Miles said.

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“Tragically, (there’s been) eight deaths in Victoria in the last 24 hours compared to six in Queensland all up.”

He said any decision about ending the closure would be made at the end of each month, which has occurred since Queensland’s tough border measures were put in place.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles says some restrictions on the Gold Coast have been lifted as the Coast marks 17 days without a new COVID-19 case. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

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Mr Miles said 6424 tests had been conducted in the last 24 hours.

He praised those who were tested for coronavirus after the number of tests dived to less than 3000 late last week.

Queensland has recorded 1150 coronavirus cases since the global pandemic began, 31 cases are active, 1111 people have recovered, nine people are in hospital and six people have died, according to Queensland Health data.