Brisbane lockdown over; masks to remain

BRISBANE: Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has lifted Brisbane’s threeday Covid19 lockdown, but people will have to carry and wear face masks for another 10 days.

Greater Brisbane’s lockdown ended last night, but face masks will remain mandatory amid concerns over undetected Covid19 cases. Residents of Brisbane, Logan, Ipswich, Moreton Bay and Redlands could leave their homes for any reason from 6pm (local time) yesterday.

The threeday lockdown appears to have contained the highly contagious UK strain of Covid19, with no new cases of community transmission reported since Friday.

‘‘Can I thank people in the greater Brisbane region for responding in the way that they did? It has been absolutely, truly remarkable,’’ Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told reporters.

‘‘So I can announce that the reward for their sacrifice is that we are able to end our lockdown.’’

Queensland is on high alert after a cleaner at a Brisbane quarantine hotel was diagnosed with the UK virus strain.

The cleaner’s partner last night tested positive, but

Queensland chief health officer Jeannette Young confirmed Brisbane’s lockdown would not be extended.

The man had been in quarantine since January 7, she said.

While the lockdown has ended, face masks will remain mandatory in indoor public venues for the next 10 days.

People must carry a face mask at all times and wear it in indoor venues such as shops, hospitals, places of worship, libraries, cinemas, art galleries and gyms. Masks are not required inside homes, restaurants or bars, or other places where people can socially distance.

Dr Young said the lockdown had allowed contact tracers to

find 370 close contacts of the cleaner; 172 had already tested negative for Covid19 and the others were either getting tested or awaiting results.

Four new virus cases were reported in hotel quarantine in Queensland yesterday — two Emirates crew members and two passengers who had arrived from the UAE. Two of those people had travelled to the UK, but Dr Young said it was too early to know if they had the more contagious strain of the virus. — AAP