Advertisement

‘Stay at home’: 16 more local cases in Queensland

Dr Young says the likelihood of another Qld lockdown is decreasing, but still not zero.

Dr Young says the likelihood of another Qld lockdown is decreasing, but still not zero.

Queensland’s chief health officer is confident the state’s lockdown can lift on Sunday, despite 16 more local virus cases on Tuesday.

All are linked to the cluster that began at Indooroopilly State High School, in Brisbane’s west, last week.

It has reached 47 infections.

Nine of Tuesday’s new cases are students.

Five are connected to the high school, two to Brisbane Girls Grammar School, three are linked to Ironside State High School, five are household or family contacts of already confirmed cases, and is a neighbour of a known case.

CHO Jeannette Young said some of those cases had been infectious in the community for up to five days.

She said it was good that all were linked, but there was concern that the origin of the outbreak was still unknown.

“We know the very first two cases that arrived into Queensland on June 29, but I don’t know how it’s got from either of those two people to the first family in that Indooroopilly area,” she said.

Tuesday’s results came from 34,718 tests across Queensland. State health authorities are targeting a daily tally of 40,000, with hopes the lockdown of 11 local government areas across the state’s south-east can lift this Sunday.

“We know that there are people out there who could have been infected who have no symptoms, so the best way to deal with someone who has no symptoms is that they just stay at home. That’s why lockdowns work. We know the virus can burn out. Stay at home,” Dr Young said.

“That way I hope that if we have other chains of transmission out there, it will burn out and we can lift restrictions, lockdown requirement, at 4pm Sunday.

“If we continue to see cases that will stop us being able to do that … Look, testing has been absolutely fantastic and today the roads were empty.”

There are about 7995 Queenslanders are in quarantine, including at least 4089 are in home quarantine. Among them are 400 health workers.

The state has also accepted an offer from the federal government of more than 150,000 extra AstraZeneca vaccines. Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said the extra shots would be delivered through pharmacies.

“That is fantastic. We will take them and more,” she said.

“I asked the Commonwealth, do whatever approvals you need to give today, get the 150,000 vaccines here tomorrow and we will ensure that more Queenslanders are getting vaccinated by the end of this week.”

Dr Young has also tweaked her advice for young people wanting the AstraZeneca vaccine, telling under 60s that they can speak to their GP if they think they’re at risk.

The state government announced support payments of $5000 for small and medium businesses hit by the lockdown, as Acting Premier Steven Miles warned employers not to misrepresent people as essential workers when they were not.

-with AAP

Topics: Queensland
Stay informed, daily
A FREE subscription to The New Daily arrives every morning and evening.
The New Daily is a trusted source of national news and information and is provided free for all Australians. Read our editorial charter
Copyright © 2024 The New Daily.
All rights reserved.