Queensland lockdown extended to at least Sunday as cases rise

Queensland’s lockdown has been extended to at least Sunday afternoon, as the current cluster grows by 13 community cases on Monday.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles said the cases had risen sharply in the past day, meaning health authorities were no longer comfortable lifting the lockdown on Tuesday afternoon, as previously scheduled.

Queenslanders have been urged to stay home and abide by restrictions, with authorities unnerved by the number of people still moving around during the sudden strict lockdown.

The state recorded a total of 15 cases, with two recorded in hotel quarantine and the others linked to the current outbreak in the community.

“It’s starting to become clear that the initial lockdown will be insufficient for the outbreak,” Mr Miles said.

“So we’re advising south-east Queenslanders in the 11 LGAs that the lockdown will be extended until 4pm on Sunday. That will make it an eight-day lockdown.”

Brisbane’s CBD during a lockdown of 11 south-east Queensland LGAs to halt the spread of an emerging COVID-19 Delta strain outbreak.Credit: Matt Dennien

The restricted areas are Brisbane, Moreton Bay, Gold Coast, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Logan, Noosa Shire, Redland City, Scenic Rim, Somerset and Sunshine Coast regions.

Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said people in the affected LGAs needed to stay locked down to ensure the outbreak didn’t spread further.

“We will get through it. But to get through it by 4pm on Sunday, when this current lockdown will end, I need every single person in Queensland, no matter where you are, to immediately come forward and get tested if you have any symptoms,” she said.

As a result of the extended lockdown, the decision has been made to cancel the Ekka for the second year in a row.

The testing site at Indooroopilly State High School was busy over the weekend.Credit: Jono Searle/Getty Images

Mr Miles said they had discussed the situation with the organisers and decided it was too risky to hold the show.

“I know that’s sad and disappointing for many, many Queenslanders who love their annual ritual, their annual trip to the Ekka,” he said. “We just can’t afford to have an event like that where people travel into town, circulate in large numbers. The risk is just too great.

“I want to thank the RNA for working so closely with us, and I’m sure the Ekka, the event we love, will be back even bigger and better next year.”

Business owners have been urged to keep their workers at home unless they are absolutely essential, with authorities worried by the amount of movement over the weekend after the lockdown started.

Dr Young said the current restrictions were the toughest the state had ever seen, but some people were not taking them seriously.

“I can not understand why anyone would be in an office today. If you are in an office today, why aren’t you at home? There are far too many cars out on the road when I drove in this morning,” she said.

“We need to lock down really, really hard, the hardest we have ever locked down. If you don’t need to leave your house don’t.”

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said businesses that might have been allowed to operate previously needed to reconsider.

“This is a message to employers - does your staff really need to be coming into work?” she said.

“Can they be working from home? If the answer is yes - then that’s where they should be.

“The obligation is as much on employers as it is the individual workers to ensure that their staff are staying home unless it’s absolutely essential.”

State Treasurer Cameron Dick has outlined a $260 million recovery package to support Queensland businesses, including $5000 grants.

“That will be available to all Queensland businesses,” Mr Dick said.

“And that recognises the impact that the Delta variant has had on those businesses because it’s stopped the visitors, it stopped the tourists coming from other parts of the country who are also in lockdown.”