Queensland has recorded nine new Covid-19 cases with its snap three-day lockdown likely to be extended as the outbreak spreads to two prestigious schools.
Deputy Premier Steven Miles revealed it was the largest increase in cases recorded in the state in the past 12 months.
His statement echoed comments made by chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young who warned it was the ‘biggest outbreak in months and risks being our biggest ever.’
The worrying uptick in cases comes as eleven local government areas begin their first day of lockdown with Brisbane, Ipswich, Logan City, Moreton Bay, Redlands, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Noosa, Somerset, Lockyer Valley and Scenic Rim residents confined to their homes.
Dr Young announced the hardline restrictions were necessary to get ontop of the latest outbreak.
‘The purpose of the lockdown is to stop the virus spreading,’ she said at a press conference on Sunday.
‘So it is to have everyone in their homes, as we find people, we find them in their homes, and they will have minimal exposure out in the community.’
The lockdown is set to end on Tuesday though fears have been raised it could be extended.
Mater Hospital Director of Infectious Diseases Paul Griffin warned there was a ‘fairly low’ chance restrictions would be eased on time.
The three day snap lockdown in south-east Queensland is likely to be extended as the latest outbreak spreads across the state and through several top schools
Eleven local government areas have begun their first day of lockdown with Brisbane, Ipswich, Logan City, Moreton Bay, Redlands, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Noosa, Somerset, Lockyer Valley and Scenic Rim residents confined to their homes
The lockdown is set to end on Tuesday though fears have been raised it could be extended as the state braces for more Covid-19 cases with two prestigious schools recording positive cases (pictured, Brisbane Grammar School confirmed a pupil had tested positive to Covid-19)
‘I would think, with the number of additional cases overnight, the additional schools, that the chance of this ending after three days is fairly low,’ he told Courier Mail.
‘But, of course, we need everyone to do the right thing so that we can get on top of it as quickly as possible and be out of lockdown as soon as it’s appropriate.’
Two high schools – including the prestigious Brisbane Grammar School – are the latest to be caught up in the Covid outbreak in Queensland as the state endures another hard lockdown.
On Saturday night, parents from BGS, which charges almost $28,000 in fees each year for students in years 7-12, were notified a pupil had tested positive to the virus.
Anyone at the school’s Spring Hill campus on July 28, 29 and 30 was ordered into home isolation until further advice was provided by Queensland Health.
The development comes as St Peters Lutheran College in Indooroopilly, in Brisbane’s west, also sent out an email to parents confirming the school had been identified by Queensland Health as a possible exposure site.
‘They (Queensland Health) have asked for all members of the St Peter’s community to quarantine/isolate in place until further notice,’ the email read.
Among the venues added to the growing list of exposure sites are a Coles supermarket, numerous chemists and even a handful of bus routes.
Oxley, in Brisbane’s south-west, has three fresh exposure sites – an Aldi supermarket, (Sunday 25 July, 8.55am to 9.25am) Chemist Warehouse (Sunday 25 July, 9.10am to 9.30am) and a Country Markets (Sunday 25 July, 8.30am to 9.10am).
Jindalee’s Coles, (Thursday 29 July, 2.55pm to 3.15pm) also in the south-west, a McDonald’s (Sunday 25 July, 6.20pm to 6.55pm) and a Terry White Chemmart (Thursday 29 July, 3pm to 3.20pm) in the same suburb were also exposed.
The same applies for Highgrove Bathrooms in East Brisbane (Thursday 29 July, 11am to 11.25am) and the Southbank TAFE (Wednesday 28 July, 6pm to 9pm) in South Brisbane.
Brisbane Grammar School has been identified as a possible Covid exposure site – parents were informed via email on Saturday
St Peters Lutheran College in Indooroopilly was also identified as a possible Covid exposure site in Queensland
Anyone who caught the route 66 bus from the UQ lakes bus station to the PA Hospital bus station on Wednesday July 28, between 12.20pm and 12.40pm has also been added to the list.
So too has the route 29 bus from the PA Hospital bus station to UQ lakes bus station on the same day, from 2.30pm to 2.50pm.
Another bus route on the exposure site list is the 412 from Sir Fred Schonell Drive in St Lucia, southwest of the CBD, to UQ Chancellor’s Place at the University of Queensland for Friday July 30, between 9.45am and 9.55am.
The Indooroopilly Shopping Centre has become a site of interest for authorities, namely Myer, H and M, Target, Kmart and Seed Heritage for Thursday 29 July, between 8.30am and 11am.
Additionally, two new casual contact exposure sites have been added for Mount Gravatt, in Brisbane’s south.
Coles Jindalee, in Brisbane’s south-west, has been named as a Covid exposure site by Queensland Health
Both are for Bunnings Warehouse, with one on Wednesday July 28 between 7am and 7.35am and the other on Thursday July 29 between 12.30pm and 1.05pm.
Late on Saturday evening, even more casual exposure sites were confirmed, including two women’s public toilets at the Indooroopilly Shopping Centre.
Any person who has visited any of the identified sites is urged to get tested for Covid immediately.
They must also remain in quarantine – even after receiving a negative result – for 14 days from when they were last at the venue.
The lockdown has impacted more than three million residents, with NRL, AFL and Super Netball games all cancelled on Saturday across the state.
Aldi in Oxley, (pictured) also in Brisbane’s south-west, is a confirmed Covid exposure site – after six positive cases overnight, many parts of Queensland were plunged into a three-day lockdown
The Terry White Chemmart in Jindalee (pictured) has been identified as a Covid exposure site in Queensland
The 11 LGAs affected include Brisbane, Moreton Bay, Gold Coast, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Logan, Noosa Shire, Redland City, the Scenic Rim Regional Council, the Somerset Regional Council and the Sunshine Coast Regional Council.
Residents living can only leave home for four reasons including for essential goods, to provide or receive care, for essential school and work, and exercise.
Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles said the state had no choice but to impose the harsh restrictions.
‘We have seen from the experience in other states that the only way to beat the Delta strain is to move quickly, to be fast, and to be strong,’ he said.
‘This will be the strictest lockdown that we have had.’