Queensland records three new local virus cases, one in hotel quarantine

Queensland’s Covid-19 outbreak has grown by three cases as authorities hinted when the state’s snap lockdown would likely end.

Queensland has recorded three new local cases of Covid-19 as the highly contagious Delta variant spreads across the state.

The state was plunged into lockdown on Tuesday after a new unlinked infection was detected in a 19-year-old woman working as a receptionist at the Prince Charles Hospital.

But health authorities revealed on Wednesday morning the case was traced back to a returning overseas traveller following genomic sequencing investigations.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the revelation was good news the current lockdown would likely be lifted on Friday afternoon.

“Fingers crossed today is looking very good,” she told reporters on Wednesday.

One of the new infections is the teen brother of the 19-year-old, with both confirmed to have contracted the concerning strain of the deadly virus.

This family travelled on Virgin Australia flights to Townsville and visited Magnetic Island while infectious as well as shopping at busy Brisbane stores, setting off a statewide alert for exposure sites.

The 19-year-old unvaccinated woman works at the Prince Charles Hospital. Picture: NCA NewsWire / John Gass

There was also another case linked to the Portuguese restaurant cluster who was already in isolation and the third was a Virgin Australia crew member who was connected to the infected flight attendant.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles blasted the Morrison government policy which allows people who can travel overseas and back purely with “proof of a business meeting”.

The frustration comes after the 19-year-old’s genomic sequencing revealed her infection and subsequent threat to various parts of the state was linked to an unvaccinated person who had travelled back and forth between Australia and Indonesia “repeatedly”.

Mr Miles said the person had “been through our hotel quarantine several times”.

“It turns out the only thing that’s required to get a permit from the federal government to leave the country is proof you have a meeting in another country,” he told reporters.

“It’s not good enough that just because you can afford a business class flight or a charter flight you can breach our closed international borders.

“It’s not good enough the borders are open for the Prime Minister’s corporate mates but closed for the rest of us, putting Queenslanders at risk.”

Ms Palaszczuk is frustrated by the policy that allows repeated overseas travel. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

The update comes after the Premier plunged parts of the state in lockdown from Tuesday evening, with southeast Queensland, Townsville, Palm Island and Magnetic Island all directed to stay home.

The 11 southeast Queensland local government areas affected by the stay-at-home orders are Noosa, Sunshine Coast, Ipswich, Logan, Redlands, Moreton Bay, Brisbane, Gold Coast, the Scenic Rim, Lockyer Valley and Somerset.

The four approved reasons to leave home during the lockdown include:

• To buy essentials such as groceries or medications
• Work or study if you can’t do either from home
• Exercise in your local area
• Healthcare or to provide help, care or support

Queensland has become the fourth jurisdiction to be plunged into lockdown following Western Australia, Northern Territory and NSW.

Access to the full list of exposure sites is available here.