Coronavirus Qld: Latest case news and lockdown update

Southeast Queensland’s three-day lockdown will come to an end this evening after no new cases were recorded overnight, but many restrictions will remain for the next 10 days.

Queensland has had zero new cases with the lockdown to end at 6pm tonight, but with some continued restrictions.

Queensland has recorded four cases of pandemic virus in hotel quarantine overnight but for the third day in a row, no community transmission.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she was “absolutely relieved” to have three days of no community transmission in Queensland.

“We are able to end our lockdown after three days,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

The Palaszczuk Government on Friday placed all residents in the Greater Brisbane, Logan, Ipswich, Redlands and Moreton areas in a three-day lockdown until 6pm Monday after a hotel cleaner tested positive to the highly contagious UK strain of coronavirus.

This is the best news we could have hoped for. Thanks for stepping up and looking after each other, Queensland.

— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) January 10, 2021

Despite the lockdown being lifted from 6pm, the following restrictions will stay in place until 1am Friday, January 22.

Masks will have to be worn in indoor places, including shopping centres and supermarkets, gyms, places of worship, libraries, taxis and rideshares.

Masks do not needed to be worn in workplaces where social distancing is possible.

The masks must be carried at all times, but are not needed to be worn outdoors at a safe distance from other people.

This could include walking the dog or going out for “strenuous exercise”.

“When in doubt wear a mask,” the Premier said.

Mask wearing will not, however, be mandated inside people’s cars.

The Gabba cricket Test is also due to go ahead on January 15, but spectator capacity at the ground will be capped at 50 per cent and mask wearing will remain mandatory.

The Premier said the highly contagious UK variant was “a whole new ballgame”.

She would not comment on whether one more case of community transmission of the UK variant would put the state into lockdown again.

Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said the four cases of the virus detected in hotel quarantine had all come back from United Arab Emirates.

Two of them had also been in the UK, where a new variant of the virus is swamping hospitals.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk (left) watches Chief Health Officer Dr Jeanette Young during a press conference. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Indoor dining areas will go back to a one person per 4sq m rule, while outdoor seating will be set at one per 2sq m.

No dancing will be allowed for the meantime, except for at weddings.

Gathering limits are restricted to 20 people at homes and at public places, while guest limits at weddings and funerals will be set at 100.

Indoor concert venues or theatres will be set at 50 per cent capacity or one person per 4sq m – or whichever is greater.

Outdoor stadiums will also have a 50 per cent capacity limit, as long as they have a COVID safe plan in place.

Dr Young said the restrictions mirrored those in other states, insisting it was important that the Greater Brisbane region came out of the lockdown “carefully and sensibly”.

Dr Young said she was still concerned there may be some contacts of a hotel quarantine cleaner who tested positive on January 6 who had not come forward.

The cleaner has the highly infectious UK variant of the virus, which triggered the Greater Brisbane three-day lockdown.

Queensland Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said “things are getting worse globally”.

Ms D’Ath said restrictions would continue until 1am on January 22 with masks required for people living in Greater Brisbane at shopping centres and cinemas.

A worker tests a local resident at a COVID drive through testing clinic in Brisbane. (Photo by Jono Searle/Getty Images)

“Thank you everyone for your hard work,” Ms D’Ath said.

For details on the latest restrictions, see: health.qld.gov.au

Deputy Queensland Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said compliance during the lockdown had been “exceptionally good”.

Police said only two infringement notices were issued overnight. They have also dished out over 1,600 masks to people.

Originally published as Coronavirus Qld: Latest case news and lockdown update