Qld closes door on Bondi

QUEENSLAND’S chief medical officer has declared Sydney’s local government area of Waverley, which includes Bondi Beach, a hotspot following more positive cases.

Anyone entering the state after 1am on Saturday, who has been in the Waverley LGA area, will have to quarantine for two weeks in a hotel, Dr Jeanette Young said.

The hotspot declaration comes into force at 1am.

“Because of these new cases that occurred in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, Queensland is declaring Waverly local government area as a hotspot,” Dr Young said.

“So anyone who’s been there, unless they are a returning Queensland resident or seeking an exemption, won’t be able to come into Queensland.

“Anyone who does will need to go into 14 days hotel quarantine.”

Anyone returning before 1am will only have to quarantine if they have visited one of the exposure sites, Dr Young said.

NSW recorded one new case on Friday which was a man who visited the Myer in Bondi Junction on June 12, at the same time as another known positive case.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian earlier described their contact as “fleeting”.

The fact it was only “fleeting contact” has Dr Young concerned.

She also called on Queenslanders to reconsider travel to Sydney even though school holidays start next Friday and even if they are not heading to Waverley council area.

“They are saying it was only fleeting contact and that is why we need to do this,” Dr Young said.

“It is really important that anyone in Queensland reconsiders their need, at this point in time, to travel to anywhere in Sydney.”

Dr Young also put the rest of Sydney on notice.

“We know that these cases, that have been found in Sydney, have travelled widely through Sydney,” Dr Young said.

“There hasn’t been any other transmission events outside of that Waverley local government area so at this point, the restrictions for travel into Queensland are only (for) those sites that have been notified by New South Wales Health, or if you’ve been in the Waverly local government area.

“So people need to reconsider whether or not they should be travelling to Greater Sydney … and they need to be prepared, that they may need to when they come back, go into government hotel or quarantine for 14 days.”

The hotspot declaration comes 24 hours after Queensland Health Minister Yvette D’Ath announced all arrivals into the state had to fill out a border declaration pass from 1am Saturday,

NSW-Qld border residents will be spared the hassle but the rule also applies to passenger arrivals from New Zealand.