Omicron variant one of four new Covid cases recorded in Qld quarantine

Queensland has confirmed an Omicron case has arrived from overseas, with two major airports listed as exposure sites.

Queensland has confirmed the Omicron variant is among of four new Covid cases on Tuesday, with authorities expecting the new variant to soon become the dominant strain.

Chief health officer Dr John Gerrard said the Omicron case was detected in a man who had arrived from Kenya.

He is in quarantine and was not infectious while in the community.

Three other cases from northern NSW are also in quarantine.

“We are certainly anticipating that Omicron is likely to become the dominant strain worldwide in the coming weeks and months,” Dr Gerrard said.

“That is why it's so critical that you’ll continue on the vaccination journey.”

New Queensland chief health officer Dr John Gerrard. Pics Adam Head

A public health alert has been issued for the Brisbane and Cairns airports.

People who have transited through the airports are being urged to check the website and follow health directions.

Dr Gerrard said government had not yet seen any impact on cases following the opening of borders on Monday morning, but maintained that a jump in cases was “inevitable”

He said it was likely a mask mandate would return for indoor settings once outbreaks begin to multiply.

“It is likely to come back, mainly for indoors,” he said.

A Jetstar flight from Cairns to Coolangatta and a slew of Brisbane shops were among 19 new Covid exposure sites listed on Monday, two of which are considered close contact sites: the Pho Hien Vuong Restaurant in Sunnybank last Thursday and Jetstar flight JQ967 from Cairns to Coolangatta-Gold Coast airport on Friday.

The Apple Store at Westfield Carindale in Brisbane’s south is also a new casual contact location, as is the Foodworks at Morningside and Shell service station at Bulimba.

Traffic at the Queensland border in Griffith St, Coolangatta. Picture: Nigel Hallett

A Subway store at Clayfield in the city’s north and a Dan Murphy’s liquor store in Hamilton have also been listed as casual contact sites. The Imperial Hotel bottle shop at Eummundi and the Coles and Dan Murphy’s at Coolum Beach are low-risk contacts.

The update comes as the state awakes to a second day of surging interstate arrivals.

Authorities are expecting case numbers to surge with the influx of visitors and returnees but are uncertain when or how this rise in numbers will manifest.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk opened the borders on Monday after nearly 150 days of restrictions. Pics Adam Head

Queensland’s borders were shut to Covid hot spots for nearly 150 days in a bid to prevent the virus from wreaking the same havoc seen in Sydney and Melbourne.

NSW case numbers jumped again on Tuesday morning to 804, the highest in 10 weeks when Sydney was in lockdown.

Queensland reported 10 new cases on Monday after border and quarantine restrictions were eased, including one locally acquired case on the Sunshine Coast.

The man was infectious from Wednesday, December 8 to Sunday, December 12.