Qld extends restrictions, warns against Melbourne travel

Annastacia Palaszczuk has told Queenslanders they would have another week of restrictions after three new cases were detected on Thursday.

Queenslanders hoping to rip off their masks on Friday will face at least another week of restrictions, after new locally acquired cases were detected in the state on Thursday.

A 12-year-old boy, who quarantined in Sydney after returning from overseas, and his parent have tested positive to Covid-19 after returning to Queensland.

A third case, a fully vaccinated international airport worker has also tested positive, and Dr Young said contact tracers needed more time to ensure the virus hadn’t spread further.

As a result, the restrictions that were due to be eased at 6am on Friday, including the mask mandate, capacity limits and a dancing ban, will be extended for another week.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk speaks during a media conference to provide a Covid update. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Queensland Premier Ananstacia Palaszczuk said she knew people would be disappointed to hear of the extension, but that it was the only way to “avoid a lockdown”.

“We just want to make sure we get on top of those cases and we want to make sure that we keep everybody safe,” she said.

“I am asking people for their patience and understanding because we have got to get this right.”

The extension of restrictions applies to southeast Queenslanders living in Brisbane, Redlands, Logan, Ipswich, Moreton Bay, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Noosa, Somerset, Lockyer Valley and Somerset local government areas.

Chief health officer Jeannette Young said she didn’t think the child and his parent had spent much time in the community since returning to Queensland, but was concerned about the international airport worker.

The woman, who lives in Tarragindi, has been deemed infectious from Sunday. She worked for three days, and checked in to a number of other locations during her infectious period.

“We are working through getting genome sequencing,” Dr Young said.

“There are multiple ways she might have acquired it. We really have to wait for the whole result.

“I am very concerned about this worker... There is a significant risk there... so we just need to maintain those restrictions for another seven days.

Southeast Queenslanders will have to wear a mask for another week. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Queenslanders have also been urged against travelling to Victoria, amid growing fears the Delta strain could be circulating in the city.

Ten cases were detected in Victoria on Thursday, all linked to removalists who travelled from Sydney through regional New South Wales before arriving in Melbourne.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said residents should “reconsider” their travel and “think about coming home” if already there.

“We have said to Queenslanders reconsider your travel into New South Wales as well,” she said.

“I cannot be clearer. We are seeing these little spot fires happening across the nation and we need to make sure we get this under control.”

Chief health officer Jeannette Young said she was watching the situations in both states “very, very closely”.

Queensland chief health officer Jeannette Young said she wanted people to reconsider whether they needed to be in Victoria at the moment. Picture: NCA NewsWire /Jono Searle

“There have been no detections in sewage outside the Sydney lockdown area,” she said

“So that is very good, so we can maintain our current border position with New South Wales, but I really, really strongly reiterate that people should reconsider any need to get into NSW because they could have an outbreak anywhere throughout the state.

“Similarly in Victoria... they have got multiple outbreaks due to multiple incursions of the virus from Sydney... I strongly, very strongly recommend that people reconsider any need to go down to Victoria.”

Dr Young said anyone already in Victoria should assess their risks.

“Because if there were to be an uncontained outbreak, then of course we would be declaring hotspots and asking people to quarantine on return,” she said.

“So, people really need to take that into consideration when working through all their plans.”