Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announces two new locally acquired Covid cases in Queensland

Two people with Covid-19 are in intensive care in Queensland hospitals. It comes as authorities announced two new cases linked to the NSW outbreak.

Two people with Covid-19 are in intensive care in Queensland, both linked to the Indooroopilly outbreak.

Queensland Health confirmed two patients, one aged in their 70s and another in their 40s, were now in ICU as they battled Covid-19.

Neither are on ventilators.

Queensland on Tuesday recorded two new community acquired cases of Covid-19 linked to the NSW outbreak as the southeast mask mandate looks set to be extended beyond Friday.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said two truck drivers, who live on the Sunshine Coast and in the Somerset region, had travelled from NSW into Queensland.

Both cases were detected by NSW authorities and the men have since tested negative in Queensland.

It comes as chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young says authorities were investigating whether masks would remain mandatory for South East Queensland residents beyond Friday’s planned easing of restrictions.

“The one thing I do want to turn my mind to between now and Friday, depending where we are, is masks,” Dr Young said.

“Because we know how essential they have been so we just might need to look at whether there needs to be an extended period to some mask wearing.”

The two truck drivers are among six new Covid cases in Queensland, which includes one acquired overseas and detected in hotel quarantine, and three on a marine vessel.

Ms Palaszczuk said the cases linked to the truck drivers were under investigation.

She said in terms of easing restrictions and ending lockdowns once vaccination targets were reached, she urged Prime Minister Scott Morrison to share new Covid modelling with Queensland authorities.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: Dan Peled

However, she added she would be reluctant to open to NSW due to its current case numbers, even once vaccination targets were reached.

“Have a look at the number of cases in NSW. Queenslanders don’t want to see those numbers coming to Queensland,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“It’s basically where we have been before – once states get on top of their outbreaks, we’ll be opened up.”

Chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young said exposure sites visited by the truck drivers would be released by Queensland Health and urged people to check them as soon as they went live.

Dr Young said the truck drivers acquired the virus in the community.

“These were two truck drivers … were tested as part of the surveillance program that we’ve got in Australia now,” she said.

Dr Young said both men had been retested and come back negative with authorities now determining what is happening.

Both men had undergone routine testing.

“I think the risk is very low,” Dr Young said.

“One stayed overnight in St George so we will be putting up a number of exposure sites.”

Dr Young said at this stage the two new cases won’t affect the easing of restrictions on Friday.

Chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young. Picture: Dan Peled

Dr Young reiterated cases could continue popping up and that everyone should come forward to get vaccinated.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said authorities could not emphasise enough the importance of getting vaccinated.

“We cannot wait,” she said.

“Don’t wait until we have an outbreak here.”

More than 82 per cent of aged care workers at state run facilities have received their first dose.

Ms D’Ath urged anyone who travels across borders should get vaccinated as they are most at risk.

“This is not a southeast Queensland issue, this is a Queensland issue,” Ms D’Ath said.

“Everyone has to hit that target. We want everyone to be vaccinated.”

Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said it was “terribly disappointing” that people have been crossing the border

“We will put more police on the border to stop this from happening in the future,” she said.

Queensland recorded one new Covid case on Monday, which was linked to the Indooroopilly Delta cluster and detected home quarantine.

It followed two days of no new locally acquired cases.

Originally published as Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announces two new locally acquired Covid cases in Queensland