Snap lockdown for SE Queensland area

State reports six Covid community cases; fears of strain on NSW healthcare

Southeast Queensland was plunged into another snap three-day lockdown yesterday, while New South Wales authorities warned of strain on the healthcare system as Covid-19 cases continue to spread.

Australia’s latest lockdown announcement came as Queensland recorded six new community cases of the virus yesterday, all linked to a 17-year-old high school student who had tested positive for the delta strain of Covid-19 on Friday.

Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles said the lockdown for 11 local government areas in the southeast of the state around Brisbane, affecting 3.8 million of the state’s 5.1m residents, was “the only way to beat the delta strain”.

Despite an urgent warning from authorities of the health risks of panic buying ahead of southeast Queensland's snap lockdown, chaotic scenes were appearing in supermarkets across the region ahead of the 4pm lockdown.

Shoppers reported lines "out the door", with some waits of up to 30 minutes for a register.

Queensland chief health officer Jeannette Young warned of the delta strain’s ability to spread.

“We know from Sydney and here, indeed, as well that people transmit delta in as quickly as 30 hours after they’re first exposed,” she said.

“And that’s why we need to have a particularly restrictive lockdown.”

Thousands of people from Indooroopilly State High School and Ironside State School will undergo 14 days’ quarantine.

The virus “could be anywhere” in southeast Queensland, Young said, warning the public to remain on alert and only leave home when absolutely necessary.

In NSW, 210 new community cases of Covid-19 were added yesterday, with at least 21 of those cases infectious while in the community.

Of the new cases, 88 are linked to a known case or cluster — 74 are household contacts and 14 are close contacts — and the source of infection for 122 cases is under investigation.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the virus was circulating widely among the young, with two-thirds of yesterday’s cases being people under the age of 40.

He said the growth of the outbreak was putting a great deal of strain on the state’s health system, with 198 people currently hospitalised.

Fifty-three people are in intensive care, 27 of whom require ventilation.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Friday the Government was still concerned about the number of people who continue to circulate in the community while infectious.

She said the state could not afford any more setbacks or exceptions if Greater Sydney was to come out of lockdown as planned in four weeks.

“One setback has a ripple effect which can take weeks to get out of,” she said.

There have been 3190 community cases reported since June 16, when the first case in the Sydney outbreak was reported.

Sydney residents considering attending anti-lockdown protests this weekend have been told by last week’s organisers that doing so would land them in the hands of police.

At least three anti-lockdown groups took to Telegram to warn protesters that no official events were planned for the weekend, and strongly advised against anyone attending any meeting.

Another group told its followers the protest was “apparently a police trap” and urged them “don’t go”.

Police warned on Friday that up to 1000 officers would meet anybody protesting in the city this weekend.

Last week, dozens of people were charged over the Sydney protests, attended by thousands.

The strike force investigating last week’s rallies has so far resulted in 200 fines and 60 charges, with more expected.