Cairns will be plunged into a snap three-day lockdown from 4:00pm as restrictions in south-east Queensland ease, after the state recorded nine new community cases of COVID-19.
Seven are linked to the Indooroopilly school cluster, one case is under investigation on the Gold Coast, and one case of concern is in Cairns, with the person infectious in the community for 10 days.
The lockdown for 11 LGAs in south-east Queensland will ease from 4:00pm, with restrictions to remain, but the Cairns and Yarrabah communities will be locked down for the next three days.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said they were "not expecting" the Cairns case — a taxi driver who lives at Kanimbla.
"I need you to stay at home, minimise your movements. Let's test, test, test as much as we can.
"We'll also be working with this man and his family."
Queensland Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said she hoped the three days would be enough for the Far North Queensland communities.
"There is a real risk this already could have spread, which is why from 4:00pm today, we need to go into lockdown, initially for three days, and I hope that is all that is needed, to work out what the risk is," she said.
Talks are also underway with QML Pathology to set up a pop-up walk-in clinic along the Cairns esplanade, and a drive-through clinic at Woree.
Masks will be required in Cairns, and only two visitors allowed in homes, for now.
One new case that forms part of the overnight tally is a Gold Coast resident.
Dr Young said the family was in isolation, has been cooperating and genome sequencing had begun to determine the source of infection.
"It is really, really important today that anyone down on the Gold Coast with any symptoms at all, please come forward and get tested," she said.
Restrictions to remain in south-east
In south-east Queensland, schools will reopen, but all school staff and early educators must wear masks.
All high school students will also be required to wear masks at school.
"Masks are absolutely critical. They are your protection," Ms Palaszczuk said.
The Education Department has sourced smaller masks to be provided to high-school students who turn up without one.
Mandatory mask-wearing will remain in place for everyone in the 11 LGAs coming out of lockdown.
Residents will be allowed to have up to 10 people in their homes, including those who live there, and in public spaces.
Weddings and funerals in the south-east will have a maximum of 20 people.
And, businesses and venues, including places of worship, retail, dining, gyms, beauty and personal care services, are allowed to operate with some restrictions.
No community sport will be allowed for the next two weeks and people are being advised not to travel from the south-east LGAs to regional Queensland unless they are an essential worker.
'Quite incredible'
Deputy Premier Steven Miles said it was "crucial" Queensland continued its pre-lockdown habits.
"It looks like we may have been able to contain a Delta outbreak in just eight days of lockdown, just 10 days from when the first case was notified.
"I want to thank everybody who did the right thing and stayed home. That is what has worked here, as well as everybody who went and got tested. I know how hard it has been, but we have achieved something quite incredible."
There are currently 11,171 people in home quarantine.
Queensland Health has administered 1 million vaccines, while 2.5 million doses have been delivered by GPs.
Dr Young has urged residents to talk to the GP, particularly those 60 years and older who are yet to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine.
"Now is the time, you must come forward to protect yourself … because we know in Sydney that they've unfortunately had quite a few deaths there in relation to the latest outbreak … people who've had two doses of AstraZeneca haven't died," she said.
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2021-08-08 00:06:46Z
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