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Qld’s latest COVID cases ‘worst in 12 months’

Supermarkets in  lockdown districts were packed with shoppers stocking up on provisions.

Supermarkets in lockdown districts were packed with shoppers stocking up on provisions. Photo: Getty

Queensland has recorded nine new local COVID-19 cases as the state’s southeast endures its first full day of lockdown.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles on said the latest cases – all of the highly contagious Delta variant –  were connected to the Indooroopilly cluster.

It was the highest number of daily infections in almost 12 months.

The Indooroopilly cluster now numbers at least 18 people and Mr Miles implored more Queenslanders to seek virus testing.

“We did 11,468 tests in the last 24 hours. Our message is simple – that is not enough tests,” Mr Miles told reporters.

“We need more Queenslanders, particularly in the southeast, to get tested,”

Mr Miles declared a “go hard, go early” response to the outbreak on Saturday after six new cases were linked to a high school student.

The local government areas of Brisbane, Ipswich, Logan City, Moreton Bay, Redlands, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Noosa, Somerset, Lockyer Valley and Scenic Rim entered the harshest restrictions the Sunshine State has ever seen at 4pm on Saturday.

The lockdown will last for at least three days.

Masks and restrictions

Residents in affected areas can only leave home for essential work, study or child care, to exercise, buy food and supplies and receive healthcare, including being tested for COVID-19 or vaccinated.

Non-essential travel must be within 10km of residences and everyone must wear a mask when outside their home.

All schools in the lockdown zone will be closed on Monday and Tuesday, while all staff and students of Indooroopilly High School and Ironside State School are in quarantine for two weeks.

Other schools affected by the outbreak include St Peters, Brisbane Girls Grammar and Brisbane Boys Grammar.

The state’s chief health officer, Jeanette Young, suspects an infected medical student could be the index case of the outbreak and likely brought the virus into an Indooroopilly High School student’s home.

Ms Young told the Sunday morning press briefing that the current COVID outbreak could easily become the worst eruption of the lethal virus ever seen in the state.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles told reporters on Sunday morning that positive COVID tests were recorded at a diverse range of locations, including students at a number of schools.

Schools connection

“Of the new cases, [there is a] link to a karate school attended by one of the cases we reported yesterday, that karate school is held at Ironside State School but is attended by children, other schools and their parents,” Mr Miles said.

“One of the new cases from the karate school is a student from Brisbane Boys Grammar. There is one case which is a household contact, a father of the boy at Brisbane Boys Grammar.

“There are two cases linked to Indooroopilly State High School and two cases linked to Ironside State School.”

Ms Young stressed that those with diagnosed with active COVID infections are not permitted to leave their homes for anything other than medical treatment.

“We need you to be at home so therefore if you have everyone that we can find that is at risk, then there is a possibility that we will be able to move those stay-at-home orders for everyone else in three days time,” Ms Young said.

“So I just reiterate – if you are asked to quarantine, that is different to what we’re saying to the general community.”

-with AAP

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