No new local COVID-19 cases in Qld as border shuts to Melbourne travellers
Queensland health authorities have detected no new cases of locally transmitted COVID-19 from more than 7000 tests, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has confirmed, as the state closes its border to travellers from greater Melbourne.
But two people who had recently returned from overseas and were staying in hotel quarantine were discovered to have the virus, as the state’s latest hotspot declaration — in response to the growing Holiday Inn cluster — took effect from 1am.
In an update posted to social media on Saturday morning, Ms Palaszczuk said 7597 tests had been carried out in the past 24 hours as contact tracers worked to reach some 1500 people who had travelled into the state through Melbourne’s Tullamarine airport.
Acting Chief Health Officer Sonya Bennett said on Friday the decision to close the border for at least 14 days to greater Melbourne was to allow contact tracers to get started on working through those people.
Anyone who has been anywhere in Victoria on or since January 29 is required to complete a border declaration pass before entering Queensland, with penalties of $4000 for false information.
All, outside of a few limited exempt groups, who have been in any of the now hotspot-declared 36 Victorian local government areas on or since February 9 are barred from entering the state. Queensland residents are allowed to return only via air and must undertake 14 days in hotel quarantine.
People in Queensland who have visited any of the exposure sites in greater Melbourne have been asked to get tested and isolate for 14 days, and those who have been in the region more broadly since February 5 to isolate until they receive a negative test result.
Matt Dennien is a reporter with Brisbane Times.