New Covid cases lead Brisbane into three-day lockdown
Greater Brisbane and surrounding areas will go into lockdown after Queensland reported four new cases of Covid-19.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told reporters on Monday “this is essential” with Greater Brisbane, Logan, Moreton Bay and Ipswich going into lockdown from 5pm (local time) on Monday for three days.
“That will mean that our schools will close from tomorrow and as I said, we need to do this - this will also enable our health authorities to get on top of the contact tracing,” she said.
“This is a huge job now that we have to do because we've got more of this community transmission.
“I know this will mean some disruption to people's lives but we've done this before and we've got through it over those three days in the past and if everyone does the right thing I'm sure that we will be able to get through it again.”
The strain is the high contagious UK strain of Covid-19 also known as B117.
On Saturday, the premier said health authorities were "very comfortable" and did not believe a lockdown was necessary.
She told reporters on Monday: "I didn't sleep last night".
"I think I am very worried. I am very concerned," she said.
Ms Palaszczuk was asked if the lockdown could go longer than three days.
"Last time was three days and that was all that was needed," she said.
"Fingers crossed. It is going to really depend on how our contact tracers go over the next 24 hours."
The premier is referring to when parts of Queensland went into lockdown in January over fears of the UK variant of Covid-19 spreading through the community.
She has also asked other state and territory leaders to declare Greater Brisbane a hotspot.
The four new Queensland Covid cases
Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said the four new cases include a nurse who she believes worked at the Princess Alexandra Hospital.
Dr Young added she "isn't sure" if the nurse acquired the virus from the hospital though.
"We will have to wait for genome sequencing results that we should get back late together or tomorrow morning which will make it clear. Her sister is also positive and we are not sure whether the transmission has happened there," she said.
The two other cases are linked to a man from Stafford who tested positive late last week.
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