Sunshine Coast and Noosa enter three-day lockdown from 4pm on Saturday, July 31

An outbreak of the highly-infectious Delta strain will send the Sunshine Coast and Noosa areas into a snap three-day lockdown after Queensland recorded six new local cases.

Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young during a press conference in Brisbane. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

The Sunshine Coast will go into its strictest lockdown yet from 4pm Saturday after seven people tested positive to Covid-19 in Queensland.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles said six new local cases had been recorded and one was acquired overseas and detected in hotel quarantine.

Residents in Noosa and the Sunshine Coast will join nine other LGAs already subject to mask requirements by entering a three-day lockdown from 4pm.

The strict measures come after a 17-year-old student at a Brisbane high school tested positive on Friday, July 31.

Mr Miles said the girl’s parents and relatives, as well as a tutor, are among those who tested positive to Covid-19 overnight.

It is believed the girl was unknowingly infectious in the community for three days from Tuesday, including two days while at school.

People will only be able to travel within 10km of their home for essential reasons.

Mr Miles said it would be the strictest lockdown Queensland has ever had.

Lockdown restrictions:

• Masks mandatory for everyone at high schools, including students
• Schools will remain open but only to the students whose parents are essential workers
• People will only be able to travel within 10km of their home for essential reasons
• Cinemas and gyms will close under the lockdown order
• Grocery stores will remain open during the lockdown

No visitors will be allowed to homes within those LGAs and tough restrictions will apply to funerals and weddings, with a total of 10 people allowed to attend from 4pm.

The restrictions will be in place until 4pm Tuesday, but Mr Miles warned it would be subject to what occurs over the coming days.

He said it was the government’s intention for there to be a short lockdown.

Chief health officer Jeannette Young said she was still waiting to for genomic sequencing results to determine where the Indooroopilly student contracted the virus.

She said it had been confirmed the girl had the Delta variant.

Acting Queensland Premier Steven Miles watches Health Minister Yvette D'Ath during a press conference to provide a Covid update at Parliament House in Brisbane. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Dan Peled

Dr Young said she suspected that a medical student, who had tutored the 17-year-old’s younger sibling at home, was the index case.

“I suspect the medical student is the index case and has taken it into that household and it’s spread within that household,” Dr Young.

“I don’t know where this virus is in the southeast Queensland. Wherever it is, I want it to stay where it is and not spread further.

“If I can keep people in a restricted area, I can keep the virus in a restricted area”.

Anyone in the 11 LGAs, including on the Sunshine Coast and Noosa, are urged to get tested if they have any symptoms.

“For the next three days I need everyone in those 11 LGAs who have been wearing masks to stay home and don’t leave unless it’s absolutely critical,” Dr Young said.

More to come.

Originally published as Sunshine Coast and Noosa enter three-day lockdown from 4pm on Saturday, July 31