Travellers from the Greater Sydney area will be banned from entering Queensland until at least the end of January as the state continues to battle with coronavirus outbreaks.
In a press conference on Thursday morning, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk explained that the current border restrictions will be reviewed again at the end of January, leaving those in NSW unable to enter the state until February at the very earliest.
⚠️ Public Health Alert: Brisbane ⚠️
The QLD Government is asking the Brisbane community to monitor their health and get tested following the identification of a positive case in a quarantine hotel employee.
The list of locations is available https://t.co/smZ7vjOCzQ pic.twitter.com/VHS8zkl7bU
— Queensland Health (@qldhealth) January 7, 2021
“I know this is very disappointing for people during this time,” Palasczuk said on Thursday.
“But we are concerned still about Greater Sydney.”
Palaszczuk also warned that further restrictions could be implemented for Victoria, depending on how the current COVID situation plays out.
“We’re also very concerned about Victoria,” Palazczuk said.
“We’ll be having a National Cabinet Meeting tomorrow, and I’ll get further updates there and update everyone after national cabinet.”
As it currently stands, Victorians are free to enter the state unrestricted, however, the Premier explained that the state is under a “watching order” and is subject to change.
The news comes as Queensland recorded its first community transmission case of COVID-19 in a whopping 113 days after a Brisbane hotel quarantine worker tested positive to the virus.
“This cleaner did everything right,” Palaszczuk said.
“She developed the symptoms yesterday and was tested yesterday.”
According to Queensland Health, it is believed that the woman was infectious from January 2, with a full list of potential exposure sites available on the Queensland Health website.
Thankfully, Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young has already confirmed that tracing is already underway to notify anyone who has been in contact with the woman.
“We have been working with her through the night and she has been fantastic and cooperated fully with us,” Young said.
“So we have been working through with her where she has been during her infectious period.”
No cases were recorded in New South Wales or Victoria on Thursday.
