Coronavirus crisis: Queensland police could close border to Sydney residents if COVID-19 cases rise

Could ALL of Sydney be cut off from Queensland? Police ‘are preparing to shut out the entire city’ if second wave escalates

  • Queensland Police are waiting for the green light to enforce tougher border bans
  • Authorities are expecting the directive to declare Sydney a hot spot within days  
  • Police source says tougher restrictions are imminent if coronavirus cases surge

Sydney could reportedly be cut off from Queensland within a matter of days. 

Police on the Queensland border are said to be preparing for harsher restrictions on people entering the state if more coronavirus hotspots emerge in Sydney.

One scenario cops are bracing for is that the entirety of Sydney is declared a COVID-19 danger zone.  

A senior police source told the Courier-Mail that officers are prepared to enforce any changes as soon as today. 

Queensland Police could tighten border controls to lock out the entire city of Sydney within a matter of days (Pictured: Police screen incoming passengers at the Brisbane domestic airport)

Sydney could be declared a coronavirus 'hotspot' and all five million residents banned from entering without an exemption (Pictured: residents enjoy the sunshine at Bondi Beach as coronavirus case numbers rise in the harbour city)

Sydney could be declared a coronavirus ‘hotspot’ and all five million residents banned from entering without an exemption (Pictured: residents enjoy the sunshine at Bondi Beach as coronavirus case numbers rise in the harbour city)

‘There is no way that more hot spots are not going to be declared, and all of Sydney would definitely be a consideration given what’s happening down there,’ the source said.

‘If the situation continues to deteriorate over the next week, I honestly don’t see how we wouldn’t look at closing the border entirely.’

Authorities could declare more hotspots in Sydney in the coming days as more clusters emerge.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Queensland Health and Queensland Police for comment.

The Sunshine state has already declared the whole state of Victoria a hotspot, as well as the Liverpool and Campbelltown local government areas in southwestern Sydney (Pictured: Cars wait in line to cross the NSW/Qld border at Coolangatta on Wednesday July 22)

The Sunshine state has already declared the whole state of Victoria a hotspot, as well as the Liverpool and Campbelltown local government areas in southwestern Sydney (Pictured: Cars wait in line to cross the NSW/Qld border at Coolangatta on Wednesday July 22)

Queensland has already declared the whole state of Victoria a hotspot, as well as the Liverpool and Campbelltown local government areas in southwestern Sydney.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says the government is looking at blacklisting even more areas in New South Wales.

‘I had a preliminary discussion yesterday with the deputy premier and also the chief health officer,’ she told reporters on Tuesday.

‘We’re going to look at what happens in New South Wales today, but we are considering adding further hotspots at this stage,’ she said.

The placement of checkpoints along the Queensland-NSW border remains a sore point for both premiers, with neither prepared to concede ground.

Ms Palaszczuk wants the border moved south to the Tweed River to resolve traffic congestion in Tweed Heads and Coolangatta, where locals have been blocked into their driveways.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian says, if anything, checkpoints should move further into Queensland.

Tight border controls have resulted in hundreds of people being sent packing for trying to enter Queensland in breach of lockdown laws, including a man who hid in a car boot.

Two women were caught trying to smuggle the man into Queensland in a scene reminiscent of an East German making a break for freedom beyond the Berlin Wall. 

The vehicle was stopped just after dark on Sunday at Wallangarra, in the Southern Downs, and police found the 41-year-old man hiding in the rear.

He was fined $4003 for attempting to enter Queensland without a Border Declaration Pass and denied entry while the women, aged 28 and 29, were also refused entry. 

Growing concern over an emerging second wave of COVID-19 in NSW could result in Queensland declaring more hotspots and denying entry to more people from the state (pictured: traffic banks up near the NSW-Queensland border)

Growing concern over an emerging second wave of COVID-19 in NSW could result in Queensland declaring more hotspots and denying entry to more people from the state (pictured: traffic banks up near the NSW-Queensland border)

Pictured: A map showing coronavirus cases recorded in Sydney since July 1. The city's south-west has been hit the hardest. The areas seen in the lightest shade of red have record one case in the past three weeks. The city's inner west, eastern suburbs and northern beaches have so far remained unscathed

Pictured: A map showing coronavirus cases recorded in Sydney since July 1. The city’s south-west has been hit the hardest. The areas seen in the lightest shade of red have record one case in the past three weeks. The city’s inner west, eastern suburbs and northern beaches have so far remained unscathed

Pictured: A map shows Sydney's coronavirus hotspot sites

Pictured: A map shows Sydney’s coronavirus hotspot sites

Queensland has just two active COVID-19 cases while 96 people are being treated for the virus across NSW. Pictured: A shopper is seen wearing a face mask while walking through Pitt Street Mall in Sydney

Queensland has just two active COVID-19 cases while 96 people are being treated for the virus across NSW. Pictured: A shopper is seen wearing a face mask while walking through Pitt Street Mall in Sydney 

NSW ACTIVE COVID-19 CASES 

SYDNEY’S SOUTH WEST

Carnes Hill, Cecil Hills: 11

Casula, Chipping Norton: 9

Airds: 5

Balmoral: 5

Fairfield: 4

Cabramatta: 8

Belmore: 4

Bardia: 1

Bossley Park, Prairiewood, Abbotsbury: 4

Revesby: 1

Catherine Fields: 1

Currans Hill, Mount Annan: 1

Smithfield: 1

Glenfield: 1

SYDNEY’S NORTH 

Baulkham Hills: 3

Carlingford: 1

Kellyford: 1 

NORTHERN NSW 

Charlestown: 2 

 Port Stephens, Anna Bay: 1

 

SYDNEY’S WEST 

Katoomba, Leura: 4

Winmalee, Springwood: 1

Constitution Hill: 6

Schofields: 2

Blacktown, Arndell Park: 4

Oatlands, Dundas: 1

Erskine Park: 1

Glenmore Park: 1

Emu Plains, Emu Heights, Jamison: 1

Caddens: 1

SYDNEY’S SOUTH

Lugarno, Peakhurst, Riverwood: 3

Engadine, Heathcote, Waterfall: 1

Beverley Park: 1

Allawah, Carlton: 1

Caringbah: 2

Grays Point: 1

SOUTHERN NSW

Avondale: 1

Lake Illawarra: 1

Batemans Bay: 4

Lavington: 2

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