Covid-19: Queensland reports new case, set to open up to Melbourne travellers

A new local Covid-19 case has been detected in Queensland, as the state prepares to open to Melbourne travellers.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

A new local Covid-19 case has been detected in Queensland, as the state prepares to open to Melbourne travellers from Friday.

The new cases is a man who tested positive after coming into contact with an international flight crew member who tested positive at the weekend.

While unknowingly infectious, the cabin crew member visited the DFO shopping centre near Brisbane Airport and the Portuguese Family Centre in the southwest suburb of Ellen Grove.

Health authorities believe Tuesday’s new case was infected at the family centre.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the new case tested positive while already in quarantine.

Ms Palaszczuk has announced that Melbourne travellers will be allowed into Queensland from Friday.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said her state would revoke Greater Melbourne hotspot status at 1am on Friday.

She said authorities were keeping a close eye on community spread in NSW and advised Queenslanders not to travel to Sydney.

NSW not out of danger

NSW Transport minister Andrew Constance said the state is still in a “danger period” with its unfolding Bondi cluster, urging people to wear masks and follow public health advice.

Masks are now mandatory on public transport in Sydney, Wollongong and Shellharbour, as well as indoor in several local government areas.

While the rules are only in place until Wednesday night, Mr Constance forecasted they will be extended.

“We’re clearly in a danger period and I think when you hear the health minister say there is a clear and present danger, he hasn’t done that lightly, and we have seen as a result of the Delta strain, and courtesy of the CCTV, someone actually walk through the breathing space of another individual in a fleeting moment and actually catch the virus,” he told ABC News Breakfast.

“That’s why it is really important people follow the health requirements when it comes to mask-wearing around our community.”

Mr Constance also called out to residents of Sydney’s western suburbs to get tested after bus routes were added to the exposure list.

“We’ve seen overnight more buses, particularly in the North Mead, the Parramatta, Newtown, the Baulkham Hills area added to that list, so everybody needs to look at the New South Wales Health website, check for the bus routes that have now been identified potentially for close contacts and make sure you follow the advice.”

New exposure sites added

A swathe of new venues were added by NSW Health overnight as the state records at least another two cases today.

Hundreds will be forced into isolation immediately after a popular Vaucluse cafe, a Bondi Junction nail salon and multiple restaurants were visited by a positive case of Covid-19.

This comes as Gladys Berejiklian warned restrictions were likely to extend past Wednesday night, and that the next few days were critical.

Health authorities will announce at least two new cases today: one is a woman in her 50s who lives in Sydney’s northern suburbs and has been in isolation while infectious. The second case is a man in his 30s from Sydney’s eastern suburbs, is a close contact and has also been in isolation. These were both announced yesterday.

Anyone who attended the following venues at the following times is a close contact and must get tested and isolate for 14 days, regardless of the result.

Belle Cafe (including anyone who attended for takeaway), 103 New South Head Road, Vaucluse

Friday June 11, 9.15 to 9.50am

Saturday Jun 12, 10.20am to 10.45am and 1.20pm to 1.50pm

Sunday June 13, 10.30 to 12pm

Tuesday June 15, 9.50am to 10.25am

Fresh Nails, Westfield Bondi Junction, 500 Oxford St

Friday June 18, 9.30am to 7pm

Rocco’s (including anyone who attended this venue for takeaway), 103b New South Road, Vaucluse

Monday June 14, 10.55am to 11.30am

Washoku Vaucluse (anyone who sat inside or outside), 52 New South Head Road, Vaucluse

Saturday June 12, 12pm to 1.30pm

Anyone who attended the following venues at the listed times is a casual contact and must get tested and self-isolate until a negative result is received.

Chemist Warehouse, 383 George St Sydney

Tuesday June 15, 1.45pm to 2.15pm

ANZ Branch, Corner of York and Market Street, Sydney

Wednesday June 16, 8.30am to 4.30pm.

⚠️ PUBLIC HEALTH ALERT - NEW VENUES ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/hlMMNqD9Yv

— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) June 21, 2021

In Brisbane, Queensland Health has added two new exposure venues after an international flight attendant spent time in the community while infectious

Saturday June 19

Cotton on, DFO Brisbane (Airport), 18th Avenue, 4.10pm to 4.30pm

Brisbane Portuguese Family Centre, Unit 3/1449 Boundary Road, Ellen Grove, 7pm to close

No new exposure sites have been added to Victoria’s list, after the state recorded one new locally acquired case yesterday who was already in isolation while infectious.

Better news from Victoria

Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said 98 per cent of close primary contacts have been cleared in the various outbreaks across Melbourne.

Professor Sutton said the overwhelming majority of tests have returned a negative result for the Whittlesea, Port Melbourne and West Melbourne outbreaks.

“We are doing a round of testing of residents in the lower risk townhouses, and those results

should be through the course of today,” Professor Sutton said.

“We thank them for everything that they are doing, setting aside their lives to keep us safe, just as we thank the 10,000 others who have done the same as primary close contacts.

Professor Sutton also reiterated that people from Sydney living in ‘orange’ local government areas under the state’s traffic light permit system should consider non-essential travel to Melbourne.

Health authorities said testing rates in Victoria must rise to ensure there is no virus being passed on undetected within the community.

There were just 13,176 tests conducted yesterday.

“That has come down from the very high numbers that we had in weeks previously, but the message is still the same: if you have any symptoms at all, even the mildest of symptoms, please come forward and get tested,” Professor Sutton said.

“That will allow us to find any possible virus that is still out there.”