Melbourne’s worrying coronavirus hotel cluster swells AGAIN as Queensland introduces tough new restrictions for Victorians
- Victorian health officials reported two new Covid cases on Thursday afternoon
- South Australia has closed their border to Melbourne residents as of Thursday
- Two new cases are close contacts of workers at Holiday Inn Melbourne Airport
- Queensland has new restrictions for those traveling from Victoria from Saturday
Queensland will bring in new coronavirus border restrictions for Victorian residents from 1am on Saturday – as Victorian officials announced two new cases found in the state on Thursday afternoon.
‘As a precaution, travellers will need to confirm they have not been to any of the exposure sites listed by Victoria’s Department of Health,’ Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said on Thursday afternoon.
The two new cases in Victoria are close contacts of workers at the Holiday Inn Melbourne Airport, where an outbreak of the UK strain of the virus has been discovered, which has grown to ten cases.
A cluster at the Holiday Inn Melbourne Airport (pictured) has grown to 10 cases on Thursday afternoon, Victoria’s Department of Health said
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said on Thursday afternoon anyone travelling to the state from Victoria woudl need to follow tough new rules from Saturday
‘Our top priority is keeping Queenslanders safe and we will continue to monitor the situation closely,’ Ms Palaszczuk said.
Anyone traveling to Queensland from Victoria must fill out a declaration pass to be allowed to cross the border.
Victoria’s Department of Health had previously reported two Covid cases on Wednesday afternoon.
Those cases are a worker at the Holiday Inn Melbourne Airport, which has been a hotel quarantine facility, and a guest who left the facility on February 7.
Earlier on Thursday, South Australia closed their border to residents of Greater Melbourne in response to the hotel cluster.
Cleaners wearing full PPE disinfect the Holiday Inn Hotel on February 10, 2021 at Melbourne Airport
Anyone travelling to that state from Melbourne will need to isolate for 14 days and get tested for coronavirus on days one, five, and twelve.
Victorian authorities have issued an urgent alert for two Melbourne banks where the infected returned traveller visited after being released from isolation on Sunday.
Anyone who attended the Commonwealth Bank in Glen Waverley from 1:30pm to 2:45pm on Tuesday, February 9, or the HSBC Bank in Glen Waverley from 2:15pm to 3:30pm on the same day, is considered a close contact and must self isolate and get tested immediately.