Qld has not ruled out a return to hard borders as NSW’s Delta variant Covid cluster grows

Queensland has not ruled out a return to hard borders with New South Wales after the southern state records the biggest spike of its recent Covid-19 outbreak and ramps up restrictions.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has not ruled out a return to hard borders as the state closely monitors the growing Covid-19 cluster in NSW.

NSW announced 44 new cases of the pandemic virus today, 19 of them infectious in the community, meaning they had the potential to be spreading it to others before they tested positive.

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By contrast, Ms Palaszczuk announced a “doughnut day” today for Queensland, with no new cases of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.

Fears are growing that the highly contagious Delta variant spreading in NSW will cross borders into other states.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Photo: Sarah Marshall.

“I think the eyes of Australia really are on Sydney with the epicentre of the Delta strain at the moment,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“Our biggest concern is if that’s not contained and brought under control, it’ll spread right across the country.

“I think everyone is concerned.”

While not wanting to speculate about Queensland plans to keep the state safe from the growing NSW Delta outbreak, the Premier said: “I just want to make sure that we are monitoring it over the next week and to see what actions the NSW Government takes.

“Queenslanders know me. They know they can put their trust in me to keep them safe and I just think everyone is keeping a really close eye on what is happening.

“Next week is going to be crucial.”

Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said while Queensland recorded no new cases today after days of dealing with five separate Covid-19 clusters, the state was not “totally out of it” yet.

She said the state still had 8679 people in quarantine.

“I want to thank every single one of them,” Dr Young said. “They are keeping the rest of us safe.

“We must keep up our quarantine and our testing. Thank you to every person over the last few weeks who’ve come forward and got tested. It’s that working together, as Queenslanders have been doing, that has kept all of us safe.”

Dr Young said she hoped that by next Friday, when mandatory mask wearing and other restrictions were due to be lifted in the state’s southeast, Townsville, Magnetic Island and Palm Island, she could declare Queensland’s Covid outbreaks to be under control.

Originally published as Qld has not ruled out a return to hard borders as NSW’s Delta variant Covid cluster grows