Queensland cluster grow with one new infection as Annastacia Palaszczuk warns the next two weeks are 'absolutely critical' in preventing a major outbreak
- Queensland announced it recorded one new coronavirus case overnight
- A relative of a Brisbane Youth Detention Centre worker at Wacol tested positive
- State premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said next weeks were 'absolutely critical'
- 'If you have any symptoms whatsoever please go and get tested,' she said
Queensland has recorded one new case of coronavirus overnight.
The new case is a relative of a Brisbane Youth Detention Centre worker, at Wacol, who had also tested positive last week.
State premier Annastacia Palaszczuk warned the next two weeks would be 'absolutely critical'.
'If you have any symptoms whatsoever please go and get tested. It is absolutely critical that everybody follows these messages.'
Nine cases have now been linked to the Wacol centre since a centre worker tested positive last Wednesday.
State premier Annastacia Palaszczuk (pictured) warned the next two weeks would be 'absolutely critical'
The new case is a relative of a Brisbane Youth Detention Centre worker, at Wacol, who had also tested positive last week (pictured)
A 77-year-old Ipswich woman had experienced mild symptoms and continued to work while infectious.
More than 200 of 500 staff at the Wacol centre have tested negative and more than 110 youths had returned negative results.
Department of Youth Justice director-general Bob Gee said the detention centre's staff would be swapped out midweek for an all-new workforce.
More than 100 staff members from the Department of Justice and additional officers from police and corrective services will come on board as current staff undergo quarantine.
Queensland authorities have also expanded a public health alert from 40 to 67 venues.
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Queensland's chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young said health authorities were retracing the movements of the latest COVID-19 case.
'We'll now work with her just to sort out her infectious period and whether that means we need to let people know of any other places that potentially are a risk.
'You would have seen all the list of the many, many places across greater Brisbane and West Moreton and Logan that people who have been infectious have visited,' Dr Young said.
'There are so many places that really it's about, if you have got any symptoms at all, come forward and get tested.'
Dr Young said she would also be pushing for face masks to be worn by all patients, visitors and staff at hospitals.
Queensland's chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young (pictured) said health authorities were retracing the movements of the latest COVID-19 case
More than 6,300 tests were carried out in the 24 hours to Monday (pictured, a nurse carries out a COVID-19 test at a drive-through clinic on the Sunshine Coast)
'Now, I have put in place some new arrangements with our hospitals.
'We're going out this morning to primary care to recommend that they consider using masks within their facilities for all patients, visitors and staff - that we just need to manage this as we go forward.'
Queensland currently has 18 active cases in the state.
More than 6,300 tests were carried out in the 24 hours to Monday.
Dr Young praised residents for taking initiative and getting tested for COVID-19, though warned test numbers needed to increase.
'Thank you very much to all of those people who did come forward in the last 48 hours,' she said.
'That has been excellent but we do need more people with symptoms to come forward. We need to track this virus down where it's been.
'It's an infectious virus as we all know and we need to act quickly, promptly, to be able to contain it.'
More to come
More than 6,300 tests were carried out in the 24 hours to Monday (pictured, Logan residents arriving at a pop-up COVID-19 testing clinic)
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