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Queensland on a knife edge after six more community cases

Annastacia Palaszczuk says Qld will ease COVID-19 restrictions, after containing recent outbreaks.

Annastacia Palaszczuk says Qld will ease COVID-19 restrictions, after containing recent outbreaks. Photo: AAP

Queensland has six more community COVID cases – including one in Townsville – as Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk warns the next 48 hours will be crucial for the state.

Restrictions will tighten in the local government areas of Brisbane, Gold Coast, Moreton Bay, Logan, Townsville and Palm Island for at least a fortnight from 4pm Thursday as a result.

“Everyone realises that we’ve got to put these restrictions in place if we are to avoid a lockdown at this stage. So I want everyone to please take this very seriously and please do the right thing,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

Thursday’s cases are:

  • Four linked to the aviation cluster in Brisbane’s south, including the young daughter one one infected person;
  • A fully vaccinated pilot who flew into Townsville. He is linked to the aviation cluster;
  • A unrelated case in a Camp Hill resident who travelled to Kyogle in NSW and has been infectious in the community since September 25.

There is also another case in hotel quarantine – a Queenslander who returned from Melbourne on flight VA333 on September 27. They were infectious while on the flight.

Queensland has 22 active coronavirus cases.

Chief health officer Jeannette Young said the state had four new local virus clusters – the aviation cluster (seven cases), the Brisbane truck driver (one case), the Gold Coast truck driver (one) and the Camp Hill woman (one).

“Although we haven’t seen any community cases expand out from any of these new clusters, there are so many of them now,” she said.

Tighter restrictions for the six LGAs include limiting visitors to homes to 30, capping weddings and funerals at 100 and cafes and restaurants being restricted to one person every four square metres.

The tighter rules will also cut numbers at large events to 75 per cent of capacity. That includes this weekend’s NRL grand final, where more than 52,000 tickets have been sold but fewer than 40,000 will now be able to attend.

Ms Palaszczuk said it would be up to the NRL to decide who missed out.

“It is going to be disappointing for people but we have to take the health advice,” she said.

“Health advice is to move to stage two. Stage two is as 75 per cent capacity. That is what it will be.”

Everyone in the crowd will also be required to wear a mask entering and leaving the stadium, and when seated.

Ms Palaszczuk denied she was delaying a lockdown because of the grand final. She said she would not hesitate to order the south-east of the state into full lockdown if Dr Young advised her to.

“We’re actually moving to tighter restrictions, our vaccination rates are up, people are checking in, but is as soon as we see further seeding, which is not from people who are in isolation, then they will be the trigger points that Dr Young will look at,” she said.

Residents are also urged to get tested with even the slightest of symptoms, and wear masks when required.

Topics: Queensland
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