This was published 3 years ago
Lockdown of Brisbane hospitals and aged care to remain for days
By Lydia Lynch
The lockdown of hospitals and aged-care facilities in Brisbane will remain until Friday, although no cases of locally transmitted coronavirus were detected on Tuesday.
On Saturday, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk banned visitors at all hospitals and aged-care, disability services and correctional facilities in greater Brisbane after a doctor tested positive to COVID-19.
The doctor visited a cafe, gym and bar on Brisbane’s southside while infectious with the more contagious UK strain of the virus, sparking fears of another citywide lockdown.
Ms Palaszczuk said the lockdown would lift on Friday if no more local cases were detected between now and then.
“We will be able to update everyone on Friday, and fingers crossed it will be good news and on the weekend people will be able to go and see their loved ones.
“We are just asking the community to be patient for another 72 hours, just whilst we finalise all of this data and get the test results in,” she said.
A lockdown at Brisbane aged care homes should end by the weekend.Credit: Getty Images
About 400 potential contacts of the doctor were tracked down and were being tested. So far 232 results have come back and all were negative.
“We are feeling a little relieved,” the Premier said.
Two new cases were detected in hotel quarantine overnight.
There were 37 active cases in Queensland on Tuesday and more than 7000 tests were conducted in the past 24 hours.
Test results from hundreds of people who worked or stayed at the Hotel Grand Chancellor when the two infectious patients were in quarantine are still being analysed.
Acting Chief Health Officer Sonya Bennett said all staff who worked during the risky period, between March 5 and 9, were tested on Monday.
“We’ve still got some information to work through, and those events are still unfolding,” she said.
“All the guests who have left the hotel since March 1 have been contacted as well and requested to isolate and get tested.”
Dr Bennett said guests who stayed on level 1 of the hotel during the risky period would have their quarantine extended until March 23.
The lockdown at the hotel for all other guests was due to end at noon on Wednesday, but that could be extended.
“A decision will be made based on the results that come in from all the testing that’s being done, about what the risk is and whether those other guests can be released if they finish their quarantine period,” Dr Bennett said.
She said a review of CCTV at the hotel had not identified a point of transmission between two guests.
“We have not as yet identified any significant breach, but that will keep being reviewed.”
Queensland Health has delivered 21,861 doses of the coronavirus vaccine.
The first group of Queenslanders received their second Pfizer jab on Tuesday.
The Pfizer vaccine comes in two doses to be given 21 days apart. The AstraZeneca also requires two doses, 12 weeks apart.